By Gift Olivia Samuel, The Sight News
The Minister of Transportation, Hon. Chibuike Amaechi, has disclosed that the Lagos-Ibadan railway project is 90% ready for commissioning in June.
Amaechi, who said this on Saturday in Ibadan during the monthly inspection of the Lagos-Ibadan rail line, expressed hope that the railway project will be completely ready for commissioning in the next two to three weeks, by which time he said, the Ministry would have gotten a date from the office of the President.
According to him, “One thing that is clear, is that by the time they give us a date, we will be ready for commissioning”.
He further urged the contractor, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) to employ more hands so that work can be completed quickly.
Speaking on the Apapa seaport, he directed Port operators to improve on job creation and ensure the seaport is properly organized, adding that “For us to renew Terminal Operators’ contracts, we must see that they’re able to keep the ports organized.
“What we want to make sure that happens is the movement of cargo from the seaport to at least Ibadan. But don’t forget there are two contracts there. There is a contract from Ebute Metta to Ibadan and then the other one from Ebute Metta to the seaport. Whatever happens, we will be ready to move cargo”, he said.
Reacting to questions on the vandalization of railway tracks and components on the Warri-Itakpe and Abuja-Kaduna corridors, the Minister directed the Managing Director of the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) Engr. Fidet Okhiria to arrest both the vandals and dealers involved in the act.
In his words, “We must approach the judiciary of all these things, to have courts that can dispense justice and send them to jail early enough to deter people, and finally, we encourage our Governors to see how they can create jobs.
“Some people who have been vandalising our properties have been arrested”, he said.
On the issue of ticket racketeering, he noted that they are planning ahead for e-ticketing on the Lagos-Ibadan rail route, adding that the NRC Managing Director has been directed to advertise for interested partners to come forward.
