The federal government has disclosed that the Lagos-Ibadan rail project would be completed before January 2021.
The minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, who disclosed this at the weekend during the inspection of the rail project alongside his minister of information and Culture counterpart, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the federal government cannot wait for COVID-19 to end before continuing the project.
Speaking earlier, Alhaji Mohammed said there is no better way to tell Nigerians about what the government has done with the money borrowed than to embark on the trip for inspection with the media.
Alhaji Mohammed said “we have seen it all via this trip, the feedback from Nigerians is great and the media is here to get first-hand information. The stations is rolling stock, the construction company is at work, and the fact that this is a project that will outlive all of us here.”
“When the minister invited me to this trip, I was very glad and I decided that instead of going to argue with nay sayers, let the media which is representatives of the people come along.
Amaechi said “there is enough money to complete the project. We have no problem with this project.
“The National Assembly should stop this investigation of loan, they are not investigating corruption of construction, what we meant is that they should allow us to get the loan for Ibadan-Kano which is about $5.3 billion, because if the Chinese government have feelings that you don’t like the way he lent you money, he won’t lend you further. That’s the point,” the minister said
Amaechi said the construction companies have been asked to return to site while adhering to the COVID-19 protocols issued by the NCDC, adding that “the government has to run and we have to deliver our promises to the people because that’s why we were elected and we don’t have time.
“What we have agreed with them is that they should increase the number of workers and adhere to COVID-19 protocols as directed by the NCDC.”
He asked the CCECC to provide Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for its workers to enable them to return to site in a safe environment.
The minister told the CCECC that “you have from now till January 1st, 2021 to deliver this project. By the time we come here again, we would like to see everything almost done on the stations.”