THE Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi has asked the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) to engage Nigerian engineers in the construction of the Lagos-Ibadan rail project as a way of building capacity for the country.
Giving this charge in Lagos while inspecting the rail project from Ebute-Metta to Apapa station, Amaechi said it was important for the Chinese company to involve the indigenous engineers in the ongoing rail construction in order to build an effective workforce that will take over the rail service from the Chinese and maintain same effectively.
The Minister who had earlier made the call in Ibadan in June noted that the Chinese people had become experts in rail construction because they were given the opportunity by the American company (General Electric) to be involved in the country’s rail projects, if not, they wouldn’t have gotten the expertise they have now.
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Amaechi emphasised that “Nigerians must be allowed to understudy properly the details of the construction work and running of the entire rail line, to take over activities from the Chinese in the near future.”
He assured that “work on the Lagos Ibadan rail line is progressing rapidly,” adding that demolition of structures on the right of way of the rail line was in progress as everything was being done to fast-track the completion of the project.
“What was a major challenge to rapid work on the entire rail line was the relocation of oil and gas pipelines located along the rail corridor and the two bridges within Lagos city that are standing on the right of way, but we have decided to take the rail line under the bridges to avoid demolition and reconstruction.”
He reaffirmed that the relocation process was on, assuring that ” by December this year, commercial activities would begin on the Ebutte Metta to Ibadan rail corridor,” the Minister concluded.
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