Amaechi: Buhari to flag off eastern rail project March 9

President Muhammadu Buhari will perform the groundbreaking ceremony for the eastern rail corridor of the country’s ongoing railway modernisation on March 9, 2021, Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi.

Ameachi stated this on Saturday during his inspection of all the stations along the new Lagos-Ibadan rail line from Ebuta Metta to Ibadan.

The minister, in a statement on Sunday in Abuja by the Director of Press of the ministry, Mr Eric Ejiekwe, said the President had also approved the redirecting of the eastern line to two new spurs, namely: Abakaliki, Ebonyi State and Awka, Anambra State.

Amaechi said the Federal Government had approved the commencement of the Port Harcourt – Kano rail project and was also negotiating loans for the Lagos – Calabar rail project.

On the commencement of the Ibadan-Kano rail project, the minister said the government was still seeking approval for a loan for the work.

Speaking on the Lagos-Ibadan rail project, Amaechi said that he had urged the contractor, China Civil Engineering and Construction Company (CCECC), to deploy global acceptable safety and security standards for the work.

He directed that central cooling system be installed in all the major train stations along the route.

In a separate development, the minister has instructed the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to punish truckers who flout government’s directives, especially when the rail end of the Apapa Port spur line is completed

He added that President Buhari had issued a directive on the tonnage of cargo that should be allowed on roads and would be strictly complied with.

According to him, the directive has not been implemented as there are no viable alternatives yet.

The statement further said that during the inspection, the minister took the train to the completed southward 8.72km of the Apapa Port Spur Line end of the Lagos-Ibadan rail line.

He expressed displeasure at the high number of trucks parked on the rail track, making work difficult to complete.

The minister, therefore, directed the management of the NPA to ensure that the trucks were moved out, adding that only registered trucks moving goods imported or to be exported would be allowed into the ports.