The Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has apologised to Nigerians over the recent failures of locomotives on the Abuja – Kaduna rail corridor.
The Minister spoke in Lagos on the monthly inspection of the Lagos-Ibadan rail project in the company of members of the Joint House Committee on Land and Marine Transport (Ports and Harbour, Inland waterways and Marine Safety and Education)
He expressed worry that brand new locomotives started developing problems within a short span of usage.
Amaechi said that he would dialogue with the Chinese company towards having them recall the locomotives insisting that what government ordered for did not tally with recent incidences.
He charged Messrs China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC) to speedy up action as the stations must start operations in December and must be commissioned by President Muhammadu Buhari in January 2021.
On the Kano –Maradi, Niger Republic rail lines, the Minister disclosed that the positives far outweigh the negatives as apart from the rail corridor creating employment, the project on completion would make Nigeria a destination choice of export for Niger Republic’s goods being that the country is a landlocked nation.
According to him, “a direct linkage from Maradi through Kano to Lagos will facilitate trade as well as attract more businesses to Nigeria”.
Reacting to questions on the coastal rail line, Amaechi said that project has been approved by the Federal Executive Council but paucity of funds is delaying its take-off.
On completion of the Apapa axis of the rail line, the Minister said NNPC pipes at Ijora is constituting a problem.
The Senate Committee Chairman on Land and Marine Transport, Abdulfatai Buhari, expressed satisfaction with the level of work done.
