Nigerian minister of transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, says the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) suspended the free train ride from Lagos – Abeokuta on the partly completed Standard Gauge Rail line over safety concerns during the just concluded general elections in Nigeria.
Amaechi, who gave reasons for the slow pace of work on the Lagos – Ibadan rail project, however, apologised to the public.
The minister, who gave the explanation in Ibadan on Friday at the inspection of the ongoing Lagos – Ibadan rail project, said the CCECC suspended the ride because the second line was yet to be completed.
“The slowdown of work was due to the elections as their company policy because most of them travelled back to their country for the elections, but they are just coming back and the speed will increase.
“It was suspended by the Chinese and the excuse they gave me was that they cannot allow it run because of safety since they have not completed the second line but they are almost through with it. It is almost completed from nearly Iju to Abeokuta.
“I want to apologise to Nigerians that they suspended it when they left the country which I didn’t envisage. I think I should go back,” he said.
The minister also assured that by the second week of April, laying of track would have reached 95 per cent; very close to Ibadan.
His words: “You can see that they are back to work and they are already doing civil work before the rains that means that by the time we come on the 28th, they would have gone far with the civil works. Some areas they will complete it to what they call MC one level before they lay the tracks.
“They promised that by the time we come by 28th, they should be able to get to kilometre 95 track laying. So that by the second week in April, they will be very close to Ibadan with track laying’’.
The minister said, it has always been an issue about gangs whereby some gangs don’t have equipment, which is in section three which is kilometre 120.
“If you look closely you will see that there are gaps that we want them to feel and they promise that we can get to km 95 with track laying but they can’t guarantee to km120.
“We must finish civil works before the rains and after that what’s left is just laying of tracks and then the stations which they have already started so we cannot give a date and time.”
Speaking on the Ibadan – Kano rail corridor, the minister said how the project will go on as scheduled and it will be decided by the cabinet.
On the progress of work generally, Amaechi stated: “If nothing else, if we are being fair to these people even if as a client I should not be praising them but we must say we commend them for the pace and quality of work being done.
“They have passed Abeokuta and reached up to kilometre 82 of track laying and they said by the time we get back on March 28, they will get to kilometre 95 and after kilometre 95, they will get to kilometre 120 and after that, only 36 kilometres will be remaining.
“A lot of civil works have been completed and what we have is just gaps. By the time rain starts, they would have finished the civil works. I am not God,” the minister said.
