Escravos pipeline, major challenge on Lagos-Ibadan rail project ― Amaechi

The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi has disclosed that the major challenge of the ongoing Lagos-Ibadan rail project which is near completion is dealing with the Escravos pipeline that is on the right of way of the rail line leading into Apapa port.

Built in 1989 by Chevron, Escravos pipeline is the major source of supply of gas in the country. The pipeline originates from Escravos area of Niger Delta region into Lagos.

Speaking after the inspection of the project on Tuesday, Amaechi lamented that, “from Iju to Apapa, we have problems of urbanisation. So we will have to deal with the issues of water pipes, gas, and fuel” noting that the bridges were not a major problem.

“But there is a pipeline along the way that is very dangerous, it comes from Escravos and the moment you shut that pipe, there will be fuel scarcity and we can’t afford fuel scarcity so we can’t afford to shut it down,” he lamented, adding that other options were being considered on how to deal with the situation.

“The pipelines are the most difficult part of this job because they (contractor) have to find a way to manage those pipes so as not to shut down the country in terms of supply of fuel,” the minister stated.

He urged the contractor to speed up work noting that, “CCECC has not done too well. I used the phrase too well because, at a time, they did us proud by trying to push this job. They claim that at the end of the last government, that we owed them some money and we had not given approvals for the extra and additional jobs.

“But that’s not an excuse because we will still have given the approval. So they have slowed down so badly. We need to get them to that speed that they were before the last government was dissolved.”

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Also on the inspection, the Minister of State for Transportation, Gbemi Saraki expressed sadness that the past governments had allowed the encroachment on the right of way of the rail line causing problems for the present government which is spending heavily on compensations.

“First it was a bit of sadness to see the result of so many years of abandonment by previous governments that have allowed business, communities to encroach on the rail tracks and the general decay. Also, there is admiration for the work done so far by the Buhari government led by the minister himself in this area.

“We saw it together, the issues of pipes and drainages that have to be moved. This is because the congestion we are seeing on the port today, you will need to have the tracks and rail working to move goods out of there quickly. So it is a difficult work in progress but nonetheless, a work in progress”.

She said when the project is completed, “the idea is that the rail will help reduce the congestions, so looking at the maritime sector over the years Nigeria has grown in economy and the share volume of containers that come more in and out over the last decades has contributed to the deadlock of cargos in the port.

“If we talk about port improvement, we must be able to come in and out, there must be a flow and that flow right now is not working but by the time we have a rail, it will flow and I think we are moving in the right direction,” she stated.