It’s better to delay completion of Lagos-Ibadan rail than risk coronavirus infection — NRC

The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) says the possible delay in the completion of the Lagos-Ibadan rail project owing to the outbreak of Coronavirus is better than jeopardising health of Nigerians.

Transport minister Rotimi Amaechi had on Thursday disclosed that the outbreak of Coronavirus in China might delay the completion of the Lagos-Ibadan rail project.

The COVID- 19, which has become a global health challenge, is threatening the April deadline of the project, being handled by the China Civil Engineering and Construction Corporation (CCECC).

The minister said the delay might not be unconnected to the fact that the bulk of the workforce handling the project were stuck in China, where the disease broke out and spread to other countries.

According to him, the Chinese government prevented some of the workers from returning to Nigeria because of the virus.

Reacting on the possible delay, Jerry Oche, Lagos Railway District Manager, told the NAN, “The simple question we should ask ourselves is what do we want? Do we want to be infected with the Coronavirus because we want to meet the time for the completion of the project?

“Or we prefer a situation where the Chinese takes care of themselves and get over the epidemics before coming to complete the project so that we all be safe and healthy?

“The project we are talking about is for the living people not for the dead. If the Coronavirus should infect us, how do we handle that?” he said.