Soon, the popular Eagle Square will be converted to a rail terminal. GRACE OBIKE reports
It may abide for a while, but the popular Eagle Square in the heart of the nation’s capital will eventually give way to a rail terminal.
Like other cities in the world, Abuja boasts its own high-profile square, where presidents are inaugurated and some of the biggest events are held. The square has hosted thousands of uniformed personnel, hundreds of horses and perhaps an uncountable number of the high and mighty.
It was at the Eagle Square that President Muhammadu Buhari was inaugurated a little under a month ago. It has served as an important landmark in the city
But in the thinking of the powers-that-be, the square should give way to a rail terminal, in keeping with the plan to transform the city into one of the most beautiful capitals in the world.
Most countries of the world have their squares located in the centre of their cities which attract lots of tourists. Examples are the Tiananmen Square located in the centre of Beijing, Trafalgar Square which is a tourist attraction in central London and lots more. The Eagle Square may not boast such popularity or attractions as these other venues and is not always available for everyone to strut on, nor does it draw tourists; in fact, when nothing special is happening, it is little more than an open space with chairs. Still, it has earned its exalted place in event destinations.
Soon, however, the great Abuja landmark and ceremonial space will give way to a rail terminal that will serve the Secretariat and the Central area environs, according to the Director Transportation, FCT, Mr. Alex Ezumah, an engineer.
“Eagle Square was built to be dismantled,” he said. “If you look at it, the structures where done somewhere, brought in there and assembled and when we are ready, we will dismantle it and take it elsewhere.
“The dismantling of this precious square is not going to be embarked upon because authorities of the FCT do not like it or know of its value as the occasional ceremonial square, no. It will have to go because the square is presently sitting on the Lot 2 of the Abuja rail corridor and the avoidance of the square will certainly distort the Abuja master plan.”
Speaking further, he said, “Eagle Square, I am sure you know, is on a temporary location, according to the Abuja master plan, the Eagle Square is not supposed to be where it is situated right now, rather that place is part of the Abuja rail corridor and it is a terminal for the Secretariat and Central area environment; actually it is the lot 2 of the Abuja rail network that will terminate in that area.
“Although the dismantling of the square may not happen soon due to the fact the administration is yet to complete all the processes required for the lot rail network, resident will have to bear in mind that the day will come when the square will have to give way or for residents who might be wishing for an act of providence, that might spare the square or still are of the believe that the President of someone else high up the ladder will have to sign up on the dismantling before it happens.
Ezumah clarified, “FCTA and FCDA (Federal Capital Development Authority) have been charged statutorily to develop Abuja, we do not need any other approval to carry out development in Abuja but what handicaps we may have would be funding or political issues but not that we need anybody to approve or allow us do our job, whatever our money can fund or get a loan to do, to make Abuja move forward and make life better for the masses, the FCTA will do.
”The corridors for the Abuja rail network has been preserved and protected for more than 30 years, there is no doubt
there are few encroachments here and there and that can be explained, encroachment in the sense that if you are not going to use a land for 20 years, you deplore it for other things but not permanent structures and when the need to use it comes, it is removed. I can tell you, if we
have 300kms of rail network, 250kms is free of any encumbrance.
“He further explained that the rail network which is divided into six different lots will be completed at different time frames with the first segment, which will be the lots 1A and 3, to be completed by this Dec.2015 and this will hopefully ease the suffering of Abuja residents.
In explaining the Abuja rail network system, he said, “The Abuja rail network which comprises approximately 300kms is segmented into six lots that is 1,2,3,4,5 and 6, we have the ongoing lots 1 and 3 which is been done by Chinese company.
“It will start from somewhere in the Central area where we have the NNPC mega station and go through Wuye, where they are cutting the road, through the national park, through Ring road 1, get to Idu where you have the major depot and facilities, big terminal and depot and an exchange station. From Idu it will continue to Kubwa and also from Idu, another leg will go to the airport all totalling about 45.245kms that is the first phase of the Abuja rail network being handled by CCECC Nig. Limited.”Then there is the lot 2,4,5 and 6. Where lot 2 is the rail network that starts from Gudu, go through Garki 2, through the Police officers mess behind FCDA, beside Akwa Ibom house and then where you have the Bullet building and then get to the Eagle square and the continue from their through Maitama, beside the Nicon Hilton and then get to Katampe and go to Gwagwa to join the leg going to Kubwa at Gwagwa where we have a transfer station.
“Then the lot 4,5 and 6. Lot 5 is the stretch that will go from Kubwa to Bwari and terminate their and maybe with a detour to Suleja, this one is a proposal, it was not in the original network but the idea is being tinkered with, lot 4 is the southern part of the transit way, the part that will go towards Abaji, Karshi and maybe to Gudi in Niger State to join the national rail and then lot 6 is the lot that will start from the Airport wherethe first segment terminates, through Kuje to Gwagwalada and from there it will join the line coming from Minna, the national line, In a nutshell this is the entire segment of the Abuja rail network.”Lots 1 and 3, we have done the visibility study, conceptual design and final design but construction is still ongoing in lots 1A and 3 by the Chinese company, lots 1B we are thinking of making an addendum to theongoing 1 and 3, so we can say that lots 1 and 3 is ongoing and committed, then lot 2, we are trying to do under Public Private Partnership (PPP), a company Merses IRMG has signed an MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) with the FCT administration to further the work done because lots 1,2 and 3 had their visibility study before now, a Canadian company Merses CPCS of Trascorm did a visibility study and conceptual design of lot 1,2 and 3, then it was from this visibility study that the Chinese took up 1 and 3 to do the final design and final feasibility and then continue with the development but lot 2 stopped at that level now you have to do the final design and final feasibility for you to develop any lot.
“The first segment we are doing has a target completion date of Dec. 2015 even though we are running a little bit behind schedule but in the last two years things has been more steady especially after Nigeria and the FCT secured the China Nexim bank loan to fund it.”
