Minister of transportation, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi on Tuesday expressed his dissatisfaction over the slow pace of work on the ongoing Lagos – Ibadan standard gauge rail line project.
He made this known at the site office of China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC), Ologuneru, Ibadan, Oyo State shortly after a long meeting with the contractors handling the project.
Amaechi who frowned at the slow pace of work particularly between Ebute Meta and Apapa sector of the project, however said: “The speed between Ogun and part of Lagos and Ogun to Ibadan is encouraging”. insisting that “but the speed from Ebute Meta, which is part of Lagos to Apapa is what is discouraging.
He said the slow pace of work between Ebute Meta and Apapa was caused by the relocation of some pipelines which have to be completed before the earthwork could be carried out along the axis.
He said though the reasons tendered by the local subcontractor appointed to handle a subcontract in the sector were tenable, but not excusable. He, therefore, insisted that the contractors must increase the pace of work to meet the deadline.
“There is slow pace of work in Lagos. The expectations from the subcontractors that we appointed for the relocation of pipes and all that were not met. For instance the person relocating the water pipelines is expected to finish by November 2. Her excuse, is that there were other things that they met that were even first to be relocated before they can deal with issue of relocation of the water pipes and others. For me, though tenable, it is not excusable. That is why I told them that there is the need for them to speed up,” he said.
Comparing the pace of works on the two sectors of the project, that is, from Ibadan through Abeokuta to a sector of Lagos and Ebute Meta to Apapa, the minister said: “The speed between Ogun and part of Lagos and Ogun to Ibadan is encouraging. But the speed from Ebute Meta, which is part of Lagos to Apapa, is what is discouraging. The issue of pipelines or no pipeline shouldn’t be an issue. Because we saw it from the beginning and we identified the solutions from the beginning. They need to increase the pace of work. The sub contractors we appointed are the people delaying.”
On the overall assessment of the job carried out so far on the 156 kilometre standard gauge rail project, Amaechi said, “Don’t forget that this is a three year contract and you are pushing. As at today there are only two bridges remaining between Abeokuta and Ibadan. That is speed. Very few bridges remaining between Abeokuta and Lagos, that is speed; for a three year contract, when these bridges have been done in several months. We are pushing them and they are complaining, I wish that you were at the meeting, the CCECC man was just pointing at the local contractor to speak. When the woman spoke, she said these are the some of the challenges we are meeting and the challenges can be resolved if we are not under pressure and we take our time. But we are putting pressure to ensure it is completed quickly”.
