Rotimi Amaechi
The groundbreaking of a Transport University, to be based in President Muhammadu Buhari’s hometown of Daura, would take place in September, Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi announced on Friday.
Amaechi disclosed this while inspecting Lagos-Ibadan railway construction.
The minister said the ministry would also establish a factory in Kajola, Ogun, to produce materials for the rail project.
“We have agreed with contractors handling the university and the rail line to have the groundbreaking between September and October for the two projects,” he said.
He said the federal government was expecting contractors handling key road projects to hasten work to eliminate gridlocks, especially in Apapa area, Lagos.
He said the completion of the rail project would reduce gridlocks in Apapa and other parts of Lagos.
The minister said the factory to be built at Kajola would produce wagons and coaches and later locomotives, adding this would reduce import of the equipment from China.
“So, as part of the benefits, the company will build a factory in Kajola,” he said.
On the slow pace of the rail project, the minister linked it to insufficient funds and the absence of a cabinet to approve the payment.
The 157 kilometre Lagos-Ibadan rail project was awarded in 2017 to the Chinese Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC ) at the cost of 1.6 billion Dollars with a three-year completion agreement.
As at May, the laying of the rail track had covered 123 kilometres.
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