There are strong indications that the cost of constructing the $1.5bLagos-Ibadan rail line may increase considering the many environmental challenges confronting the project within Lagos metropolis.
The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi who gave this indication on Wednesday said as a result of these challenges, there may be need to demolish and rebuild the jibowu and costain bridges.
Disclosing this at Papalanto in Ogun, Amaechi stated that “the challenges facing this construction is not even here in Ogun but in Lagos. We are dealing with water, drainage, gas, power and the military. But here (Ogun) we are dealing with just gas and maybe a few power transmission lines and we can manage that”.
“Yesterday I was on the tour with the Governor of Lagos and we agreed that two bridges should come down. We have agreed with the Lagos state on the arrangements we have to make before the bridges have to go. They cannot just go like that because of the management of traffic”.
“So, what we agreed on is that we are constructing new bridges at Costain so that by the time we finish them, we will demolish the existing ones. For the one at Jibowu, we will build a flyover across it before demolishing it,” the Minister explained.
While answering questions from journalists, the Minister said that due to the need for the relocation NNPC station and pipelines in Lagos and Ogun, “we may have to go back to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) to ask for more money to resolve this challenges”.
He explained that, “If the issue of the transmission lines with the NNPC gas pipeline is not addressed, then there will be no railway line”. Adding that, gas pipelines crossing the railway line are a serious challenge to the timely completion of the project.
“Yes, I am a lay man, but I have Engineers supervising the construction and I know that by now they are supposed to have laid the tracks” stating that the delay is caused by the environmental challenges.
He however said, “We are impressed with the progress of work, but we expect more from China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC). That is why we are want them to increase the speed at which they are going” he noted.
The Minister reassured that the project will be completed in December 2018. Don’t forget that the contract is for three years, but we are chasing the Chinese to see that they finish it in 2018. We have made it clear that we need it before January 2019″.
Lagos-Ibadan rail contract was awarded to CCECC in April 2017 at the cost of $1.5 billion for the space of three years.
Stella Enenche , Abuja
