First let me begin this write-up by hailing Sim Fubara, the newly inaugurated governor of Rivers State.
And to the chief defender of Southern people for president, Ex-Governor Ezenmo Nyesome Wike, I congratulate you for a successful eight years tenure and wish you well in your future endeavor,. Somebody say a loud Amen.
Having observed all these protocols, let me face the crux of this piece, which is the urgent need for the new governor Fubara, not to behave like his predecessor, Wike, by looking the other way when it comes to the issue of the abandoned monorail project, which would have been the first in Nigeria before the Lagos light rail that was conceptualised by Babatunde Raji Fashola, the immediate past Works minister who was former Lagos governor. The project was also abandoned by his successor, Akinwunmi Ambode, but has been completed by Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu whom this writer likes to call ‘Mr. continuity.’
The mono-rail, if I am correct, was to move the residents of the oil rich Rivers State, enmass, from one point in the state to another. A kind of mass transit system not flyovers, which your predecessor has littered the state with like the former governor of Ogun State, Ibikunle Amosun, whether that is what the state needs or not. Yes! Flyover is good but rail of any type is better; it has the capacity to move people en mass, not what we call ‘go slow’ in this clime but not so for flyovers.
This Rivers mono-rail is a partially built urban transportation project with three stations and its connecting guideway of Phase 1a were constructed and one vehicle was delivered but the line never went into operation and it’s development stopped in 2016.
Rivers State Monorail
Rivers Monorail route from open Street map.
The project was announced in 2011 and construction commenced in 2012. As of September 2017 construction had only been partially completed despite $400 million having been spent and the project is at a standstill now. Some reports said the project will never be completed. As of 2021 news reports indicated that the project has been abandoned.
The rail stations ought to be:
Phase 1A from Sharks Park Station to UTC Station with an intermediate stop at Azikiwe Station
Phase 1B to extend the route north with three stops at Isaac Boro Station, Garrison Station and Waterlines Station.
The overall distance from Sharks Park to Waterlines was to be 5.4 km (3.4 mi) as against that of Lagos that covers a distance of 34+kilometres. Though, there were to be further extensions.
The system was to use intamin People Mover P30 monorail trains and one coach was delivered. One train was to be in operation in Phase 1A, and six trains in Phase 1B. A train consisted of seven individual cars with six passenger cars and a seventh car for the motors and electrical equipment with a driver’s cab at each end. Each train would be able to accommodate 172 passengers, with provision for 44 seated passengers included. One end car would have access for wheelchairs, and all cabin floors will be the same height as the station platforms to provide easy access for passengers with reduced mobility. Provision will be made for hand-held luggage only.
The design operating capacity for Phase 1A is 1, 200 passengers per hour with the single vehicle providing a shuttle service along the route. With a maximum operating speed of 70 km/h (43 mph), estimated train travel between end stations is eight minutes of Phase 1a. Six train operation has a design operating capacity of 2,700 passengers per hour. Train travel time between end stations of Phase 1b is 22 minutes with a service frequency of eight minutes.
This is what the people of Rivers State, especially residents of Port Harcourt, would have been enjoying but the political shenanigans between Amaechi denied them that comfort. Though Wike gave them flyovers in exchange.
Amaechi who then prided himself as the ‘Lion’ of Niger Delta disclose his decision to construct the rail in 2011 and to show that he meant business, construction started in 2012. And as of September 2017 construction has only been partially completed despite $400 million having been spent on it.
However, keen followers of events surrounding the project are not surprised that it has become a white elephant project so much so that as in 2015, the then Labour Party gubernatorial candidate, Tonye Princewill, had said that he would cancel the project if voted into power. But, he lost the election.
Though, he failed at the poll but in same June 2015, newly elected Rivers State Governor, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, announced that the project would be reviewed just after, which Intamin published a video showing a vehicle running on the line.
That not withstanding report later had it that the government has abandoned the project after spending $400 million dollars.
While in September 2017, it was reported the project is at a standstill. Another report also said that the project will never be completed with only the guideway and stations still in place
