pictures of ongoing work on the rail line
Adedayo Emmanuel
When the former Minister of Transport, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi promised that the standard gauge rail system between Abeokuta and Lagos would be completed by July 2019, there was jubilation in communities along the 156 kilometre route.
Five months down the line, the work is yet to be completed and those who had earlier rejoiced prematurely are now asking questions.
The elections are over and a new government has been sworn in since 29th May but the work though progressing, is not near completion.
Meanwhile, earlier this year, the portion from Iju in Lagos State to Abeokuta in Ogun State was commissioned while it began a non-commercial operation.
During the test drive of the rail project in the first quarter of the year, Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, Mr. Fidet Okhiria said it was the first official rail service that will convey people on the route daily.
“This is the first official train service we are putting on this track, and from today it is commencing its non-commercial operations that will be running everyday taking people from Iju to Abeokuta for time being free of charge,” Okhiria said, promising that by May ending the full-length of the Lagos-Ibadan tracks would be completed, two months after, the fulfillment of this promise is still awaited.
Meanwhile during the test drive, the then Minister of Transportation also promised that fixing of tracks between Abeokuta and Ibadan would be completed by June 2019, again July is ending.
Amaechi also explained then that the Federal Government had placed an order for 30 standard guage locomotive engines and 30 wargons from China.
Also last year, the District Manager of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, Jerry Oche had promised that when completed, the trains would be traveling at 150kilometres per hour this means the journey between the Lagos and Ibadan would cost fewer than one hour since the both cities are separated by just 156kilometres.
Oche told the News Agency of Nigeria then that one would be able to live in Ibadan and work in Lagos when the railway commences full operations.
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“With the new standard guage, you can reside in Ibadan and be working in Lagos which is very good development to people and for our economy,” he said.
It is also believed that the completion of the project would also help ease the gridlock often felt at the Apapa axis of Lagos.
Meanwhile, Nigerians have continued to ask what had happened to the earlier promises. July 2012, the Federal Executive Council had approved a whopping $1.488bn for the execution of the Lagos-Ibadan double track railway line modernisation project.
Seven years after, Nigerians are still asking questions. The then Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku had told the media after the FEC meeting where the money was released that the project was approved in 2006 and awarded to CCECC Limited but could not be executed due to paucity of fund. He however said that the project covering 2,733kilometres was planned to run through Lagos, Ibadan, Ilorin, Minna, Kano and to be executed in six phases.
According to Maku then, the modernisation of the rail system was a major decision taken at the FEC meeting.
“The projects in the railway took off with the rehabilitation of the existent old rail line system. Today we took a major step to build a modern rail line between Lagos and Ibadan.
The standard guage rail which we approved today in the council is going to run between Lagos, Ibadan, Ilorin, Minna, Kano and also there would be a phase that would take off from Minna to Abuja, the one from Abuja to Kaduna is already under construction,” he said.
When newdawn reporter visited the Agbado rail station two Weeks ago, the construction work on the two storey building has continued apace while the second rail line has reached the station from Abeokuta thus completing the second line since the rail is planned to run consecutively on the two lines as different from the old rail.
Though workers refused to speak with our reporter, work is going on while those who lost houses have been compensated.
As of now, work is progressing to Fagba station from Agbado.
It is now worrisome that same 156kilometres rail distance between Lagos and Ibadan is still a discussion topic seven years after.
Recently, the construction of the rail line halted movement around Ashade market in Agege area of Lagos. Commuters were greatly distressed for several days when the road leading to Guinness/Oba Akran avenue axis was closed for the rail construction onward.
