Rail project: We will deliver on schedule, says Zakari

The Permanent Secretary (PS), Ministry of Transportation, Sabiu Zakari, has said the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) would deliver the Lagos-Ibadan Standard gauge on schedule.

Zakari, who led the team, made up of the Nigerian Railway Chairman, Ibrahim Alhassan, the Managing Director, Fidet Okhiria, other top officials of the Federal

Ministry of Transportation as well as officials of the Team Consultants and CCECC on tour of the project, expressed satisfaction that the project is on course.

Fielding questions at Papalanto, in Ewekoro Local Government of Ogun State, Zakari commended the quality of work,’’ which he described as world standard, even as he said ‘’all that is being done is in accordance with specifications.’’

He said his inspection was informed by the development of a slight earth tremor at the KM200, in Ifo Local Government, adding that he and his team are satisfied at the remediation steps being taken to ensure that the integrity of the project is protected and the quality of work is not compromised.

‘’There was a tremor that affected the side of the tracks and the contractor has taken remedial steps which has been approved by our consultants and our engineers as what is supposed to be done,’’ Zakari said.

He said the remedial steps being taken at the spot of the tremor is at no extra cost to the federal government for now, describing the development as part of contingencies that has been built into the project. There are places you’ll not see this and there are places you’ll see additions.’’

Also speaking, the Chairman said he is satisfied that the CCECC would deliver quality work.

He said some adjustments are being made to the project citing the instance of the Abeokuta station, where the lift being expected has been changed to accommodate an escalator in view of the anticipated volume of passenger traffic on the route.

Zakari commended the former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi, who he said, had taken ‘’the project to a very high level’’ adding, that, what the tour was aimed at doing was to put the contractor on its toes, in order not to lag behind on the deadline.

Okhiria in a separate interview confirmed that the rail tracks have been completed to kilometres 157, and attention can now be placed on the completion if the railway stations and the speeding up of work on the Lagos end of the project.

He assured that work is on course and commercial activity will commence as scheduled in October.