Ahead of the planned moves to extend the Apapa railway station to achieve the desired modernisation of the ongoing Lagos-Ibadan rail project, Rotimi Amaechi, the Minister of Transportation, has ordered an audit of railway properties within Apapa and its environs.
He gave the directive during an inspection of the Apapa station shortly after a meeting of the Project Steering Committee held at the Chinese Civil Engineering and Construction Company (CCECC) yard.
Speaking with newsmen at the Apapa station, Amaechi said, “we have come to inspect what the Apapa station looks like. We are not too impressed now. The station would be moved backward to the centre of the road since all the properties around here belong to the NRC”.
He reiterated that all railway projects must terminate at Apapa station. On the progress of the work, the Minister said contract for the relocation of the water pipeline would be awarded this week, adding that the gas pipeline within the Lagos axis has slowed down the progress of work.
“The task we have given the contractor now is because the contract is broken into two phases; the first phase is from Ebute-metta to Ibadan. We believe they should be able to complete that.
It is also expected that they should be able to complete Apapa to the Seaport but even if they are not able to complete it, we can go ahead and begin commercial activities from Ebute-metta to Ibadan which is the original contract.
He reiterated the position of government that all railways must terminate at the seaport so that one if they finish it on time, we will go with it, if not we will commence commercial activities at Ebute-metta to Ibadan, but work is progressing rapidly from Iju to Ibadan.
He lamented that the problem in Lagos is relocation of gas and oil pipeline, adding that the steering committee have been able to solve the rest.
According to the minister, ‘’Today we will try to award the contract for the relocation of the water pipelines, even we have not finished the technical work for the relocation of the gas and oil pipelines, so is slowing down activities in Lagos’’. The minister disclosed.
