After a COVID-19 induced hiatus, the Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, on Saturday, resumed the inspection of the 154-kilometre Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge train project.
Amaechi was joined in the inspection by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed; the Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Engr. Fidet Okhiria and the NRC Board Chairman, Mall. Ibrahim Al-Hassan.
- Reps flay delay in 2nd Niger Bridge, Abuja-Kano, Lagos-Ibadan Road projects
- Kano-Abuja road, 2nd Niger Bridge, Lagos-Ibadan expressway ready 2022 – NSIA
Also on the team was the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Hassan Bello.
The last time the Minister inspected the ongoing project was in January and further inspection was stalled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the attendant nationwide shutdown declared to flatten the curve of transmission.
The inspection started from the Ebute-Metta station of the project, and from there, the team headed to Apapa before heading out of Lagos.
Daily Trust reports that the team inspected all the train stations starting from Ebute-Metta, Agege, Kajola, Papalanto, among others to assess the level of work.
Currently, the China Civil Engineering and Construction Corporation (CCECC), the contractor handling the project, has completed the track laying from Ibadan to Ebute-Metta Lagos which is the final destination of the main project.
The track laying, however, continues on the Apapa segment as the project was extended to cover the port community to help in decongesting the country’s premium ports through the lifting of cargoes by train.
At one of the stations, the Minister was heard encouraging the contractor to mobilize more workers to the site and not use COVID-19 as excuse.
