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Tag: Lagos-Ibadan rail project

  • Lagos-Ibadan rail project cost below $2b, says Fed Govt

    The Federal Government on Wednesday said the Lagos-Ibadan rail project cost less than $2 billion, contrary to other claims.

    Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Transportation Sabiu Zakari said the total contract sum of the project is $1, 581,847,371.00 as against the $2billion alleged.

    He added that the cost index/km is $4.09 million as against the $13.6million also alleged.

    The ministry, in a statement by the Assistant Director of Press, Anastasia Ogbonna, said the project is being executed in the spirit of transparency and accountability.

    Zakari explained that the clarification became imperative, following insinuations that the project was inflated over and above the one in Ghana.

    Read Also: Photos: Ongoing repairs of Lagos rail tracks

    The permanent secretary also added that the Ghanaian project is at the conceptual stage, insisting that there are neither construction designs nor cost estimates.

    He explained that the Lagos-Ibadan railway is actually 386 kilometres since it is a double track rail line as against the 156 kilometres alleged, which is just the distance from Ebute Meta (Lagos) and Ibadan terminal stations only.

    According to him: “Railway project does not depend solely on the distance between terminal points but rely on various factors which include but not limited to terrain, core operation accessories, land acquisition and compensation, earthworks, bridges, culverts and stations.”

    The permanent secretary stated that due diligence was followed in the award of the contract as the project was approved by Federal Executive Council after a Certificate of No Objection by the Bureau of Public Procurement was issued.

  • Lagos-Ibadan rail: Amaechi gives contractor two weeks to complete Iju-Agbado axis

    Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi has given the contractor handling the Lagos-Ibadan rail project two weeks to complete construction between Iju-Agbado axis.

    The Minister also disclosed the slow pace of work witnessed on the project was due to the scarce nature of the necessary equipment.

    He also hinted 30 passenger coaches and about 300 wagons would be used on the axis upon completion.

    Amaechi also said the federal government will continue test run on the Itakpe-Warri rail till May after which it would commence commercial activities.

    Speaking during the monthly inspection of the project, he said: “The problem the contractor has now is the civil work between Agbado and Iju, which is critical to me because I don’t think passengers should go and board train from Agbado.

    “I believe that it is important that the closer we are to Lagos, the better for the rail.

    “That is what we are battling now because I want them to use the same speed noticed in some sections in the construction of Agbado area to Iju.

    “They want us to flag off from Agbado but I don’t want because I feel Iju will be more appropriate to flag off and they said they will be ready with that axis in two weeks but I think we should get to Iju because it will not be wise to drive from Lagos to Agbado to board train.”

    On the unavailability of equipment, he said: “They argued that lack of equipment was responsible for the pace of work because the equipment are not on the shelf equipment that can just be picked and paid for. What is causing the delay on the Agbado to Iju axis is equipment related.

    “The equipment have to be applied from overseas, we will have to wait for the processing and then ship it down and if we wait for those equipment, we might be finishing the job when the equipment will arrive.”

    On the arrival of coaches, he said: “We are expecting 30 passenger coaches mixed with locomotive wagons, 300 wagons and two sets of DMU made up of ten coaches each and two motorcars will arrive Lagos before the construction work is completed.

    He also said the major challenge at the Lagos seaport was not clearing but inefficient rail line.

    The Minister also dismissed the claim his frequent visit to the construction site was due to external pressure.

    He said: “I am not under pressure from anybody. Part of the solution to Lagos seaport is an efficient rail line.

    ”You can argue that the narrow gauge is there but it is not efficient. The moment we fix this, those goods will be transferred to the rail and the logjam will disappear.

    “So the pressure is more economic than political or people based. Once they finish Iju, I will push them to go to the seaport.

    “Once that is done, there will be no more logjam and then businesses will grow which will give room to more employment.”

     

     

     

  • Amaechi reiterates commitment to Lagos-Ibadan rail project

    The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi has pledged to ensure the completion of the Lagos-Ibadan rail project in honour of the late Chairman of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Usman Abubakar.

    He stated this on Monday in Kaduna during a condolence visit to the family of late Abubakar who died Oct. 11 at the age of 68 after a brief illness in Abuja.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Abubakar was appointed Sept. 27, 2016 as the Chairman of NRC board.

    The minister, during the visit said that the Lagos-Ibadan rail project was a pet project of the deceased stating that it was his wish for the project to be completed.

    He said that the deceased was the chairman of the technical committee, adding that he always ensures that every complaint on the project was resolved.

    Amaechi said that Abubakar was committed to the project and was always present at all the monthly inspection carried out by the ministry.

    “We were working too closely that I gave him part of my responsibility at the railway project, part of the responsibility was the chairman of the technical committee and he solved a lot of our technical problems.

    “We are already feeling his absent a lot because at the end of the day when we ran into such problems again, I will say if chairman was here now, it would have being resolved.

    “We find it very difficult but one thing we owe him is to ensure that we complete the Lagos-Ibadan railway, which was his pet project, he dreamt of that project, stayed in Lagos and came for all inspections.

    “He said to me, that whatever it will take to make us deliver this project to make Nigerians happy, he was willing to participate.

    ”His death came as a shock because I never knew he was sick,” the Minister said.

    Speaking, the deceased son, Mohammed Abubakar, described his father as a man of integrity and a strong loyalist of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    “My father was a simple man of great integrity and a staunch loyalist of President Muhammadu Buhari. He always valued education more than anything.

    “He would always tell his children that, he would not bequeath us with money when he died and that the only thing he could do was to make sure we had quality education.

    “He lived a very simple life so much that people barely knew him as the Chairman of NRC. He never wanted the attention, glitz and glamour that came with the office,” he said.

    He thanked the minister and the delegation from the Federal Ministry of Transportation for the visit. (NAN)

  • No room for extension of Lagos-Ibadan rail project, says Amaechi

    The Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, has ruled out any extension on the ongoing $1.6 billion Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge project.

    The Federal Government had insisted that the project would be delivered in December.

    Amaechi spoke yesterday at Adunbu village, Papalanto, Ogun State, after inspecting the project.

    The minister noted that though he was not happy with the slow pace of work, but he was hopeful that the project would be delivered in December.

    He blamed the slow pace on the raining season, adding that the inclement weather had affected the contractor.

    Amaechi said: “This project is for three years. We are the ones pushing for it to be completed and delivered within one year. Right now, they have done 60 per cent of the job.”

    The minister added: “They (contractors) have done 90 per cent of the earthwork as well as all the bridges from Iju to Abeokuta. They have assured us that the remaining 10 per cent can be completed by September.

    “We are hoping that the rain would subside by September to enable them complete the civil engineering work after which they would be able to address track laying.”

    He said about 12 kilometres of tracks had been laid, a fact he again attributed to the rain. Amaechi said: “They have assured us that they can finish the tracks in record time with the completion of the earthwork.

    “They have done 12 kilometres. Don’t forget that they only did three kilometres the last time we were here. I am still not impressed. But their argument is that the track-laying is not the problem because they said they can lay as many tracks as possible in a day, but that the problem is earthwork.

    “They said we should pray that the rain would stop for them to complete the earthwork. They have done 90 per cent of earthwork from Ijoko up to Abeokuta and they think that in one or two weeks after the rain, they will complete the remaining 10 per cent.

    “So, by the end of September, they should have finished the bridges from Iju to Abeokuta. But that still doesn’t solve our problem because that is not the contract, which is in phase one, is Ebute Metta to Ibadan.

    “We are pushing them that even if they complete it in September, they will still need to complete from Abeokuta to Ibadan, and we still need to complete from Iju to Ebute Metta, which is the Lagos State part of the project.”

  • Amaechi: Apapa end of Lagos-Ibadan Rail project begins next week

    •Movement of Cargo by rail will reduce traffic congestion, says Ambode
    •Governor lauds Fed Govt over Apapa-Oshodi Expressway reconstruction

    WORK will begin on the Apapa corridor of the Lagos-Ibadan Rail project next week Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi said during a visit to Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode at work yesterday.

    Amaechi told reporters after a strategic meeting with the governor and his team at the Lagos House in Alausa, Ikeja that the contractors handling the Lagos-Ibadan Rail project had been directed to return to site to resume work from Apapa as part of efforts to bring about permanent solution to the perennial traffic gridlock in the axis.

    The minister said: “You would recall that the Federal Government had commenced construction of the Lagos-Ibadan Railway and the focus was more on the Ibadan and Abeokuta axis because we had challenges in Lagos which included utilities and not much with the communities and I think I have to commend the communities that allow us use 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 pipelines and water. 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 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 are 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 cooperated all the way from the beginning till now and what we have decided is that CCECC (Chinese Civil Engineering Construction Company) 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.”

    He said in addition to the rail projects, the Federal Government was also working on the roads, saying that the combination of the projects would facilitate seamless movement of cargos from the ports at Apapa.

    Amaechi said: “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 and Tin Can to enable us to evacuate cargos freely which is an addition to the rail.”

    Lauding the Federal Government action to start from the Apapa end of the rail project, Ambode expressed optimism that the development will go a long way to enhance movement of cargos from Lagos to other parts of the country.

    The governor said: “Lagosians would recollect that in the last three weeks, we have had issues with the Apapa gridlock and two times, Mr. Vice President had actually visited Lagos and promised that a lot of remedies would take place.

    “We want to use this platform to say a big thank you to Mr. President and the Federal Executive Council (FEC) for approving the reconstruction of the Tin Can-Apapa-Oshodi Expressway up to the Toll Gate which was done yesterday. This is in continuation of our efforts at finding permanent solutions to what has been happening in the Apapa axis.”

    “We also want to say a big thank you to the minister of Transport and minister of Works because the rail construction that is coming up and will commence in Lagos from next week is actually from the Apapa ports up to the Ibadan axis which means that we are having a two-pronged approach to be able to cart away cargos from Lagos to other parts of the country.”

    The governor also commended the Federal Government for approving the reconstruction of the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway as part of efforts to finding lasting solution to the perennial traffic gridlock around the axis.

    He specially thanked President Muhammadu Buhari; Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo; Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, and indeed the entire members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC), saying the state government was grateful for their commitment to end the sufferings of the people in the state.

    He said as a follow-up to the federal initiatives, there will be a lot of additional construction works across the state, especially from the Apapa axis, including 10 over-passes to further reduce the sufferings of residents.

    Besides, Ambode reiterated the commitment of his administration to collaborate with the Federal Government on the implementation of impactful projects that will make life comfortable for the people.

    He said: “We just want to say that we reiterate the commitment to collaborate with the Federal Government as a state government to ensure that we reduce the sufferings of Lagosians and I am happy that we have come out from this meeting stronger together with the Federal Ministry of Transport to make sure that this particular rail project is delivered within the next six to twelve months.

    It would be recalled that the Federal Government, at the end of Wednesday’s FEC meeting, had approved N72.9billion for the reconstruction of the road from Apapa to the Toll Gate on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

     

  • Costain, Jibowu bridges to go

    Costain, Jibowu bridges to go

    •Jibowu, Costain bridges to be demolished   •Track-laying  begins in April

    Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi has expressed his dissatisfaction with the pace of work on the Lagos-Ibadan rail project.

    It was the first time the minister would be hard since he began his monthly supervision of the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) contractor handling the Lagos-Ibadan Standard Gauge line.

    He said by now, he expected that the contractor would have commenced track laying, but has been assured by the engineers that rails could be laid in a month.

    The minister also affirmed that the Jibowu and Costain bridges in Lagos State would be demolished, adding that he had a tour of the impediments with Governor Akinwunmi Ambode on Monday, where decisions were reached to pull the two bridges down.

    He asserted that the December 2018 date for the $1.5 billion rail project remains sacrosanct.

    The minister said: “I am telling them that I am not satisfied with the pace at which they are going.

    “I am a layman, the Chairman and the MD are engineers. But as a layman, I think by now they should have started laying tracks in some areas and that I have not seen even though the MD said in one months the tracks can be laid.

    “I want to see that we are ready to lay the tracks.”

    The minister added that President Muhammadu Buhari would commission two locomotives and 10 coaches before Christmas.

    On some of the challenges affecting the completion of the project, the minister said: “There is no way you can do construction without challenges in different forms and kinds and you have to address them.

    “The challenges are not even here in Ogun, they are worse in Lagos. We are dealing with water, drainage, gas, power and the military. The only thing we are dealing with here is just gas and a few power transmission lines and we can manage it.”

    On the demolition of Jibowu and Costain bridges, he said: “I was on a tour with Governor of Lagos Akinwunmi Ambode and we have agreed that the two bridges will come down.

    He, however, expressed optimism that the project would be delivered by December next year.

    Amaechi said: “Be rest assured that we are chasing the Chinese to finish in December 2018. Don’t forget the contract is three years and that is their argument but our own argument is that we need it before 2019 January.

    On the commissioning of more coaches and locomotives, Amaechi said: “Two locomotives and ten coaches came into the country and the President will be commissioning it this December.

    “We want to make sure that those travelling from Abuja to Kaduna are able to use the new coaches.”

    Amaechi said track laying on the Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge line will begin in April 2018.

    Speaking after the project’s steering committee meeting, which included management of the ministry, governments of Lagos, Ogun and Oyo, with the contractor, Amaechi said the delays was as a result of the challenges the contractor met on site.

    By the earlier schedule, CCECC ought to begin track laying in December.

    He said: “I have been assured that once the track laying starts, it would not stop until December, to enable Mr. President inaugurate it by January 2019.”

    He restated commitment to the December 2018 deadline, saying the pace of work is encouraging.

  • Update: We are committed to modernizing train system – Osinbajo

    Acting President Yemi Osinbajo on Tuesday restated the Federal Government’s determination to fully develop and modernize the nation’s rail system as a way of stimulating railway culture in Nigeria.

    He spoke in Lagos at the ground breaking ceremony of the Lagos-Ibadan Standard Gauge rail line, which is the second segment of the Lagos-Kano Standard Gauge Rail line.

    Osinbajo formally unveiled the plaque signalling the official commencement of work on the project at about 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday.

    Those at the event included the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, who was represented by the Senate Chief Whip, Prof. Olusola Adeyeye, Speaker of the House of Representatives Rt. Hon Yakubu Dogara, represented by the Chairman of the House Committee on Land Transportation, Hon Aminu Isa, some state governors notably Akinwunmi Ambode (Lagos), Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun), Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo), the National Chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Chief Odigie Oyegun, the party’s Deputy National Chairman (South West), Chief Segun Oni, the Oba of Lagos, Oba Riliwanu Akiolu, members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) and managing directors of government parastatatals and agencies, among others.

    Osinbajo assured that the project will be delivered by December 2018.

    He hinted that the federal government through the Ministry of Transportation has completed work on feasibility studies of about 13 new train routes that would see the train connecting virtually all the state capitals in the country.

    The acting President said the project will create about four direct jobs, stimulate the expansion of agro allied industries along the corridor and boost economic activities in towns along the corridor.

     

  • Lagos- Ibadan rail project to be completed in 2018 – Osinbajo

    Lagos- Ibadan rail project to be completed in 2018 – Osinbajo

    Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has flagged off the N458 billion Lagos – Ibadan segment II modern railway project, assuring that the project would be completed within the time frame of December 2018.

    Osinbajo, who spoke at the ground breaking ceremony held at Nigerian Railway Corporation premises in Ebute Metta, Lagos, described the development as a reflection of the Federal Government plan to build a globally competitive economy with a first-grade infrastructure.

    He said the development of a functional railway system in the country is very dear to President Muhammadu Buhari, adding that the ground breaking of the Lagos-Ibadan project further signifies the determination of the President to modernise the national railway system.

    Osinbajo said: “The President in his January 2016 visit to China reopened negotiation on the Chinese support for this project, secondly this ceremony also marks the commencement of our plan to move speedily to improve links with Lagos which is the national economic nerve centre and major port to other state capitals across the country.

    “We made provision for matching funds in 2016 budget to complement the concession loans obtain from the People Republic of China. We have the entire Lagos- Kano rail track as well as the Lagos-Calabar railway track in the 2017 budget.”

    The acting president said negotiations has been completed on the next phase of Kaduna –Kano portion, saying the government has provided the counterpart funding for the Lagos-Calabar routes.

    He added that negotiations with the foreign counterpart funding will be finalised within the next three months.

    He added: “An active and vibrant railway system conferred many benefits on the society. Our ultimate goal is to restore a railway using culture for both commercial and personal transportation. We are confident that the national rail project will create up to half a million jobs and facilitate the movement of up to 3.2 tonnes of cargo per annum.

    “It will also reduce the burden on national highways thus reducing deterioration of the road network and increasing the life span of our roads.”

    He stressed that railway network will support efforts to diversify the economy and enhance the country export potentials.

     

  • Fed Govt releases N72b for Lagos/Ibadan rail

    Fed Govt releases N72b for Lagos/Ibadan rail

    The Federal Government yesterday released N72 billion counterpart funding for the Lagos-Ibadan mordernisation railway project.
    Chinese partners are expected to add the other part.
    Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi who was at the Second Presidential Business Forum at the old Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, said the funding was released to fast track the project.
    The National Assembly is expected to approve the $30billion foreign loan request by the executive for rail projects across the country.
    Amaechi said: “On the construction of the Lagos-Ibadan Railway, the Minister of Finance has been kind enough to release the counterpart funding in full.
    “I think in the history of Nigeria this is first time that we are releasing counterpart funds in full so that there will be no delay since the Chinese loan appears to have been approved.
    “The only thing we need to do is to plead with the National Assembly to approve the $30billion loan.
    “If you don’t encourage the National Assembly to make that approval, then, the economy won’t be making the kind of progress we want it to make.
    “So, for me here, I will enjoin to persuade the National Assembly to kindly make that approval because they are tied to projects.”
    The project, which has been awarded to the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation and to be jointly funded by the Nigerian and Chinese governments, is scheduled to start next month and costs about $1.5billion (N458billon).

  • FG releases counterpart funding for Lagos-Ibadan rail project

    FG releases counterpart funding for Lagos-Ibadan rail project

    The Federal Government on Monday said it has released N72 billion as the full counterpart funding for the construction of Lagos-Ibadan modernization railway project.

    This was disclosed by the Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, at the second Presidential Business Forum in Abuja.

    He said: “For the construction of Lagos-Ibadan railway, the Minister of Finance has been kind enough to release the counterpart funding in full.

    “I think in the history of Nigeria, this is first time that we are releasing counterpart funds in full so that there will be no delay since the Chinese loan appears to have been approved.”

    He also urged the National Assembly to approve the federal government’s request to obtain $30 billion foreign loans.

    According to him, the loan would speed up the development of the country.