Amaechi Debunks Reports on Request For Additional $650 million On Rail Project

The Minister of Transportation, Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, debunked and described as untrue, the report that his ministry is seeking over $650 million additional loan fir the completion of the ongoing expansion works on the Warri-Itakpe and the Lagos-Ibadan railway.

The Minister stated this at Omi-Adio station in Ibadan axis of the Lagos-Ibadan railway project monthly inspection and said, the needed fund is $1.6 billion which had long been approved by the government for the said railway project.

“I read somewhere that we are looking for additional $650 million for the expansion works on the Lagos-Ibadan and Itakpe-Warri corridors, this is not true.

“We said we would be needing $1.6 billion, and that was long time ago. The money has since been approved. It is not as if we are looking for additional funds for these projects. It is important that I clarify that.”

Speaking on the pace of work ahead of the 2021 inauguration of the railway project, Amaechi expressed dissatisfaction on the slow pace of work at the Agege sub station and also reminded the CCECC, the American Consultant firm (TEAM)that he would be on ground for another round of inspection in December to ascertain the level of workdone as the January 2021 completion of the project remains sacrosanct as the federal government will not compromise on the project.

Amaechi averred that there rail project contract would no longer be awarded without a comprehensive plans by the contractors, due to the experiences encountered on the current rail project.

” Due to the slow pace of work on the Lagos-Ibadan rail line, we have stated that we will not commence work in any other contract until we have a comprehensive programme of work so that we would see when you start, when you finish and the facilities that you need,” said Amaechi.

He urged the contractors to recruit more hands on the project in order to enable them deliver the project for public use as soon as possible.

Similarly, the Managing Director, NRC, Mr. Fidet Okhiria is of high hope that commercial operations should start running on the Lagos-Ibadan rail line by December 7, 2020, saying that the company tractors already gave NRC their assurance with regards to commercial operation on the axis.