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Lagos-Ibadan rail to commence operations in December — NRC MD
By Emmanuel Awosika
The Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge rail track will be test run in the first week of December ahead of its inauguration.
This is according to Managing Director of the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC), Fidet Okhiria, who spoke during an inspection of the rail construction by Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi on Monday.
He clarified that the inauguration of the rail track was different from the inauguration of the train service, but said the train service would commence operations fully in December 2020.
Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, cleared the air on rumours alleging that the Ministry had requested an additional $650 million to complete the railway project.
In his words, the rumors were a “complete misrepresentation” of what transpired at the National Assembly when he went to defend the ministry’s budget.
His words: “I was merely reporting to the senators that the entire Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge was at the cost of $1.6 billion and that we have had to request for another $650 million for additional works at both the Lagos-Ibadan and the Itakpe-Warri standard gauge.
“The approval had since been obtained and the funds released long ago. We have since used it for the same purpose. We do not need any extra funds to complete this project. We are saying to Nigerians that we do not need any fresh money to complete the Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge.”
The Minister expressed misgivings concerning the slow pace of work on the Lagos-Ibadan Standard Gauge Railway.
Also pesent at the inspection were Director General of the Budget Office, Mr. Ben Akabueze and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Land Transport, Abdulfatai Buhari and the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) Board Chairman Al-Hassan Musa, among others.
