Lagos-Ibadan rail: Amaechi laments over Chinese contractor’s failure to meet target

Rotimi Amaechi, minister of transportation, says contractors working on the Lagos-Ibadan modern rail project have failed to meet his target.

The rail line project is being constructed by the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC).

The minister addressed journalists during his inspection of the project in Lagos on Wednesday.

The inspection tour began at Ebute-Metta in Lagos, in the company of management staff of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC).

Amaechi said the contractors failed to meet up with the target for the completion of minor stations, especially the station in Apapa.

He said the excuse given by the contractors was that they had few engineers on-site as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

The minister assured that the timeline for project remains intact, adding that the Lagos-Ibadan rail line will be completed in December.

“Timeline has not changed. Do they meet my target? The answer is No. My target was before we come on September 15 for inspection, they should have finished all the minor stations,” he said.

“The same engineers supervising Agbado supervise Agege, that is slowing them down. For me, that is not an excuse.

“I want this work done quickly because I want to move out of this place.

“Their position is that by next week more engineers will be coming; we expect them to isolate for seven days and work will commence. Once, work commences, they will be faster.”

Although the track laying from Ebute-Metta in Lagos to Ibadan in Oyo state, has been completed, the 10 stations along the line were at various levels of completion.

Amaechi said there had been some improvements and progress in the construction of rail stations along the line.

He said that in some of the 10 stations along the line, the contractors have finished doors, windows, roofing, flooring, ceiling and lighting.

“Olodo (Station) is just near the completion. At Kajola, what is outstanding is just painting. There are changes at Ebute-Metta. There was an improvement in Kajola, Olodo, and Ebute-Meta, though, not to the extent I expect that it should be,” he said.

“They have given us the target; by the end of September, three stations will be ready.

“By the end of October, all the minor stations will be ready, that is six stations. By the end of December, every station will be ready.

“The only one station they (CCECC) are afraid of is Apapa (Station) because they started very late, but I insisted that Apapa should be completed at the same time as the rest.”