The China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC) has been urged to deploy more equipment and manpower for the speedy and timely completion of the Lagos-Ibadan rail line project.
According to the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, who gave the charge during the Lagos-Ibadan railway inspection in Lagos said deploying more equipment and manpower would not attract extra money, as they are inbuilt in the contract sum.
Amaechi while inspecting the project with the Chairman CCECC, Mr. Zhao Dianlong, said the Chinese contractor did not continue with the various equipment and manpower they used at the start of the project.
He noted that government would be compelling them to match the speed of work with the right equipment and manpower at various sites.
According to him “If you look at the work going on, you will agree with me that if they maintain the manner of work we saw today, we should be able to commence activities on the track very soon.
“As far as I am concerned, mentally, I am almost out of Lagos and want to focus on Kano, Kaduna, Ibadan to Ilorin.
“The original time for the contract in May. They made an argument you cannot fault, that they were given additional work of six months.
“And if you add an additional six months to that time, you are talking about next year. So, instead of looking at law, look more on practicality and compel them to speed up.
“By the time we met yesterday, I realised it is not important I talked about the law, but what of the additional work in stations, tracks, underpasses, flyovers and literally everything affected the time of completion.
“Somebody advised me not to talk about the completion date anymore and just continue working. I won’t tell you my conversation with the CCECC chairman, but let’s wait till February 20 when we will be coming back to inspect,” he said.
He said at the moment, it is not necessary to pursue law, but the completion of the project, noting that with Apapa seaport congestion primarily depending on the rail project, it was purely logistics that have made the congestion to linger over the time.
Reacting to the Minister’s accusation that even materials that can be sourced locally are brought from China, the Group Chairman, CCECC, explained that most of the materials and equipment for the project can not be sourced locally.
Furthermore, he appealed to the Minister to intevene in their inability to berth their vessels due to the perennial long queues at the seaports in Lagos.
Also, the Managing Director, Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC), Engr. Fidet Okhiria while affirming some of the observations made by the Minister, added that 9 additional flyovers and extension from Ebute-Metta to Apapa seaport have made the original set date for flag-off unrealistic.
