Amaechi not happy with Chinese company over slow construction of Lagos-Ibadan railway

News Agency Of Nigeria 10:17 - 24 November 2020

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Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi with the Project Manager of CCECC, Mr Xia Lijun during the inspection of construction works on the Lagos-Ibadan Standard Gauge. [Twitter/@MinTransportNG]

The Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi on Monday expressed dissatisfaction at the slow construction of the 156km Lagos-Ibadan Standard Gauge Railway.

Amaechi expressed the dissatisfaction during an inspection of the project.

The minister, however, said that the Federal Government was still determined to inaugurate the project in January 2021.

He said: “I will be here in December; I want to see improvements.

“The CCECC said the construction of the control centre in Lagos will be completed in March 2021.

“Why in March when we have provided all the equipment needed for the completion?

“After building the Lagos Control Centre, we should have another remote control centre maybe in Enugu or Kaduna.

Pleased to finally share with you our flagship station and by far the most spectacular train stop on the Lagos - Ibadan railway project. The station will be named Mobolaji Johnson Station, Ebute Metta. @NGRPresident @NGRSenate @FMICNigeria @FinMinNigeria pic.twitter.com/lGbMXkIBGY
— Federal Ministry of Transportation (@MinTransportNG) November 23, 2020

“We need to have standard facilities that will last; therefore, I want to see the work programme and the equipment schedule.”

The Project Manager, CCECC, Mr Xia Lijun, said at the event that the Lagos Control Centre at Ebute-Meta would be completed in March 2021.

The Managing Director, Nigeria Railway Corporation, Mr Fidet Okhiria, said that the rail track would be test-run in the first week of December ahead of inauguration.