Tag Archives: Lagos-Ibadan

Osinbajo flags-off Lagos-Ibadan rail line, project to create 500,000 jobs.

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Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has flagged off the Lagos-Ibadan standard guage railway line, stating that the national rail project will create half-a-million jobs.

Speaking at the ceremony in Lagos, Osinbajo said the project is one very close to the heart of President Muhammadu Buhari, who renegotiated the project with the Chinese, back in 2016.

The acting president said the rail line is just one segment of the Lagos-Kano railway project, which is an integral part of the national rail project.

Osinbajo said the rail line would be ready for use by December 2018, and would ensure ease of transportation and diversification of the national economy.

“If there is a project close to the heart of the president, it is this rail project he personally promised the people of this nation,” Osinbajo said.

“Our appreciation goes to the Chinese government, who have always proven to be reliable partners with Nigeria. As some may be aware, we have the entire Lagos-Kano standard guage track, as well as the Lagos-Calabar railway track in the 2017 budget.

“Negotiations of the Kaduna-Kano portion of the track is now completed and this phase is next in line. We have already provided our portion of funding for the Lagos-Calabar route as well.

“We expect that negotiations for the foreign component of the funding will be finalised in the next few months. The Lagos-Calabar rail will come on stream.

“An active and vibrant railway system confers many benefits on society, and our ultimate goal is to restore the railway using culture for both commercial and personal travels.

“The national railway project will create up to half a million jobs, and facilitate the movement of over 3.2 tonnes of cargo per annum.”

Osinbajo appreciated the efforts of Kemi Adeosun, minister of finance, and Rotimi Amaechi, minister of transportation for their hardwork, which made the project possible.

The rail line is expected to transport people and cargo at a speed of 150 kilometres per hour — that is Lagos to Ibadan via Abeokuta, in less than an hour.

Akinwunmi Ambode, the governor of Lagos state, Ibikunle Amosun, governor of Ogun state, Rilwan Akiolu, Oba of Lagos, were present at the flag off.

 

Source: The Cable

President Buhari has released N72bn for Lagos-Ibadan railway – Amaechi

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President Muhammadu Buhari’s government has released N72 billion counterpart funding for the construction of Lagos-Ibadan modernisation railway project.

 

Rotimi Amaechi, minister of transportation, made this known at the quarterly presidential business forum, which was presided over by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo at the presidential banquet hall, Abuja, on Monday.

 

The rail project, which was awarded to China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation, would cost about $1.5 billion (N458 billion).

 

Amaechi commended Kemi Adeosun, minister of finance, for ensuring full release of the counterpart funds for the project, and enjoined the national assembly to ensure speedy approval of the $30 billion foreign loans for various project.

 

“I think in the history of Nigeria this is the first time that we are releasing counterpart funding in full so that there will be no delay, since the Chinese loan appears to have been approved,” Amaechi said.

 

“The national assembly should please approve the 30 billion dollars loan. If you don’t respond, if you don’t encourage the national assembly to make that approval, then, the economy won’t be making the kind of progress we want the economy to make.

 

“So, for me here, I will enjoin you to persuade the national assembly to kindly make that approval because they are tied to projects.”

 

Source: The Cable

Fashola lauds repairs of `Long Bridge’ on Lagos-Ibadan road

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The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola has commended Julius Berger for completing the rehabilitation of the `long bridge’ on the Lagos/Ibadan Expressway, ahead of schedule.

Fashola, who spoke at Warewa, Ogun State, yesterday, while inspecting the fully asphalted 2500 metres “Long Bridge’ section, expressed happiness with the level of work done by Julius Berger, the contractor handling the project.

According to him, the bridge which was opened to traffic yesterday well before the December 31 deadline will give commuters better journey experience.

The minister thanked road users for their understanding during the period of construction, as the diversions and partial restrictions on the construction zones had caused them some hardship.

Fashola explained that Julius Berger could not close the road because of its importance and so, had to manage the heavy traffic, while it went on with the repairs.

He said that the firm had to deploy about 50 trailers to and from the site daily, moving materials in and out, adding that, over 3,600 trips were made to ensure a speedy completion.

“The bridge has been asphalted but the work is not finished. It is a 4,500-metre bridge on both sides and they still have to install some joints.

“About 44 on one side and 44 on the other side. Their contract also extends to kilometre 46 to Sagamu; they are asphalting between kilometre 30 to 33.’’

He, however, appealed to road users to avoid reckless driving, to stem accidents throughout the yuletide season.

Meanwhile, the completed sections of the Lagos/Badagry Expressway project would be opened to motorists in the first quarter of 2017, to ease traffic congestion.

A top official of China Civil Engineering and Construction Company (CCECC), the contractors handling the project told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos yesterday that phases one and two of the road project, which cover the Iganmu Interchange and the Trade Fair, would be completed by 2017.

He added that the third phase of the project, which covers between the Trade Fair and Okokomaiko, is, however, scheduled for completion by 2019.

The official, however, said that certain challenges had delayed the project in the past.

“We have been having challenges on the road project and that has resulted to some delay in our work.

“We had to stop work for three years, from 2013 to this year, to allow NNPC to relocate their pipelines buried between Alakija and Abule-Ado.

“They finally completed the relocation of those pipelines in October, and you can see for yourself that serious work is going on there now,’’ he said.

He said that the third phase of the project was also experiencing delays at the Military Cantonment in Ojo.