Work begins on Apapa ports rail line next week – Amaechi
By Fresh hope on the resolution of the gridlock within Apapa, Lagos, is rising, as Rotimi Amaechi, Minister of Transportation said on Thursday that work will begin on Apapa ports phase of the Lagos-Ibadan narrow gauge rail line, from next week.
The announcement comes a day after the Federal Executive Council (FEC), on Wednesday, also approved N72.9 billion as contract sum for the rehabilitation of collapsed sections of Mile2-Tin Can-Apapa Expressway.
There have been discussions on the urgent need to revive the long abandoned Apapa ports rail line which, in the past decades, played a critical role in the evacuation of goods from the nation’s premier ports. Stakeholders have insisted the rail line remains the most viable option to taking goods out of the ports, and reducing the pressure on the roads in and out of Apapa.
Amaechi, who was at the Lagos House, Ikeja, on an official visit to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, told journalists that the contractor, CCECC will move to site in furtherance of the Lagos-Ibadan rail project from Apapa as part of the ongoing efforts to addressing the perennial traffic gridlock within the Apapa axis.
According to Amaechi, the work had been delayed till now because there had been challenges relocating utilities on the right of way.
He said: “You would recall that the Federal Government had commenced the construction of the Lagos-Ibadan railway and the focus was more on the Ibadan-Abeokuta axis because we had challenges in Lagos which included utilities and not much with the communities. I have to commend the communities that allowed us the use of their land though we would pay compensation but not much. So, we are grateful to all the communities from Lagos to Ibadan.
“However, we have utility challenges both gas pipes and water and beyond the gas pipes. We also have challenges with bridges to either build or demolish. I remember when we said we wanted to demolish the Costain Bridge, everybody screamed and we had to invite the Lagos State governor to assist us; he took us there and promised that he would pay the compensation.
“I like the fact that the Lagos State government is also contributing to this whole efforts and so what we have come here to do is to ensure that there is a win-win situation and the Lagos governor has been very cooperative.
He has cooperated all the way from the beginning till now and what we have decided is that CCECC should therefore move back to Lagos for construction to commence immediately in Lagos because we are insisting that by December, we should complete the Lagos-Ibadan railway.”
Asides the rail project, Amaechi explained that the Federal Government was also working on the roads, noting that the combination of these projects would facilitate seamless movement of cargos from Apapa.
“What we are trying to do there is to get a good road to evacuate cargos but it would be faster with the rail. So, while we are working hard to ensure that the rail is delivered by this year ending, the Federal Government has also awarded the contract to deal with the road from Apapa to Tincan to enable the evacuation of cargos freely,” said Amaechi.
JOSHUA BASSEY