By Chris Paul Otaigbe
The April deadline scheduled for the delivery of the Lagos Ibadan Rail Project is no longer feasible.
This was the discovery from the emergency inspection summoned by the Transportation Minister, Hon. Rotimi Amaechi during the brief press conference he had after returning from the Apapa Wharf end of the rail line.
Although, he said after today’s meeting/inspection, he has resolved not to talk about dates for delivery of the project any longer.
The blame for this development are both logistic, equipment and administrative.
Logistics because of the problem of moving out the equipment and materials from the Ports.
On equipment, Amaechi said he observed that the equipment the Chinese brought was not sufficient for the volume of work to be done.
On the administrative aspect, he agreed that the additional works included may have become an excuse by the Chinese Contractor for the delay.
Some of those additions include nine flyovers, the structure of the stations and the fact that the rail track was supposed to stop at Ebute Meta as opposed to the Apapa Wharf, an addition of about six kilometers.
These according to the Minister are the reasons that have tied his hands from tackling the contractors on ensuring they meet up with the agreed April deadline.
