Amaechi explains reason for slow pace of work on Lagos-Ibadan rail project

The Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaech, has attributed delay in need approval and payments as causes in the delay of work on the new Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge railway line.

Amaechi said this on Friday evening while briefing journalists after the inspection of the project.

He inspected the project in company of the Managing Director, Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) Mr Fidet Okhiria and Chairman, Board of Directors, NRC, Malam Ibrahim Al-Hassan-Musa.

The minister also inspected construction works at the 10 stations along the 156-kilometre rail line corridor which included Apapa, Kajola, Papalanto, Abeokuta and Omi Adio, among others.

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Amaechi, however, expressed dissatisfaction with the level of work done in most of the sites visited and advised the contractor, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation, to speed up work on the project before his next visit on September 23.

The minister said that the slow pace of work was too visible at the Lagos end of the project, saying it was due to lack of approval for extra works that needed to be done.

“They (contractors) cannot commence work until they get those approvals. We will go to the cabinet quickly and get those approvals so that they can continue with their construction.

“Our appeal is that they should please hurry up and get into the seaports so that we can evacuate the goods at the seaports. We should at least be able to reduce what people refer to as Apapa gridlock.”

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