CCECC assures Lagos/ Ibadan rail corridor’s communities on infrastructure

The contractor handling the 156 kilometre standard gauge rail line from Lagos to Ibadan, China Civil Engineering Construction Company, CCECC, has assured communities living along the rail corridor that it would address all issues concerning thier welfare and primary infrastructure before the competition of the project. 

In a statement issued in Abuja by its media adviser,  Dr. Eshemokha Maho, Wednesday in Abuja, the company stated that the clarification became necessary following recent agitation by some communities along the rail corridor over an overhead bridged and a flooded link road.

It cited two communities, Laderin and Alagada that recently went on protests to complain about the state of infrastructure in their areas. 

While Laderin community was asking CCECC to construct an overhead bridge across the rail line to connect villages in the area to the main road,  Alagada’s residents were asking the company to  reconstruct the link road in the community. 

Both communities are in the Ogun axis of the Lagos-Ibadan rail line.

The statement stated that although the construction of an overhead bridge in Laderin was not captured as part of the rail project, the company was committed to the development of local communities in all areas of its operations. 

It said it  had long put machineries in place towards addressing the complaint of the community.

“We are working based on designs given to us by the contracting authority, as you know we cannot go outside the design, without appropriate approvals. It would be going outside the scope of the project and we could be sanctioned. 

“However, we have long taken note of the concern of the community and have taken it into consideration and are working with relevant government officials to ensure that the issue raised by the community are appropriately channelled and addressed”, the statement said. 

On the issue of link road which the Lasada community also complained about, the spokesperson noted that CCECC is a company build on integrity.

“Yes it is true that we promised to fix the road, if you go there now work on the road is in progress and it would be delivered soon. I can assure you that the road would be better than it was before.

“There was no need for any agitation in the first place, because when we promise, we deliver, CCECC is a company that values its reputation and integrity”, the statement stated. 

The company enjoined communities living along the rail corridor to maintain peace and cooperate with it to ensure that the project is delivered on schedule while it is working towards addressing all their demands.

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