All NewsBreaking NewsGovernanceNewsPoliticsTop NewsTrending
TN Reports
Send an email
Failed Locomotive Engine: FG Apologises to Nig. …Summons CCECC Back To Site
By Idu Jud e
TN Reports
Send an email
0 4 minutes read
Owing to the disappointing operation of the imported locomotive engine designated for Abuja/Kaduna rail line last week, Federal Government of Nigeria, has tendered an unreserved apology to the train users over the unfortunate incident.
Recall that thousands of passengers were stranded over hours due to failed engine along kaduna/ Abuja route.
The Minister of Transportation, while addressing journalists Monday at Ibadan shortly after inspection of ongoing Lagos /Ibadan rail line, said “I would like to apologise to Nigerians over what’s happening at Abuja to kaduna line. Its worrisome in the sense that they are brand new locomotives. We may be forced to bring back our old locomotives to continue if these new once should fail.
“the locomotives are under warranty. We have called the chinese to come back for the locomotives that are bad or have failed more than two or three times and the response to that on behalf of government and on behalf of the ministry and NRC, we apologize to Nigerians and we have told the Nigeria Railway Corporation NRC to either fix it or get the chinese to fix it. And if that is happening, then they should bring back the old locomotives. It may therefore affect the number of times we are able to run because we just brought those locomotives to increase passenger services..
“This is a new locomotive that has gone bad.even if we have the expertise to repair it and we do have this expertise, the truth is that NRC just sent engineers to fix it, but we should be worried that brand new locomotives that we bought failed. We are saying this is brand new, it shouldn’t fail by now, it shoud be failing after 3 to 5 years. There is a warranty and we have to call them back”
The Minister while puting the records streight on the wrong insinuations o
about 650million dollars additional approvals for the completion of Lagos/Ibadan line, said ” I didn’t say the National Assembly will require to approve new 650m dollars. I said during budget defence that the cost of the contract was 1.6billon dollars but between itapke and warri and lagos to ibadan, we had to ask for 650million dollars or so for extra work that has been approved a long time ago. I was just repeating it to the National Assembly to know that we are asking for additional money from already approved 1.6b it is never a fresh budget proposal. All the money we need for these two projects has been approved”
On the kano maradi rail line, he remarked that the essence of that line is for us to be able to transport cargo, not just from Niger Repiblic but from neighboring states.
“We are not competing economically well with togo, Benin Republic Ivory coast and Ghana over cargoes that come from the land locked states.
The excuse they give for the poor competition by Nigerians is that our roads are bad, crimnals attack them at police check points, customs checkpoint. The are not able to do business due to high cost of transactions.
Amaechi noted that if Nigeria should compete favorably, it means that nigeria has to repair or rebuildtheir roads. But a rail line will solve the problem. He said “this means goods coming from Niger Republic will be processed in maradi by the Nigerian customs and straight to Apapa sea port which attract more business for the country. We re tired of given this explanation. We don’t have wives from Niger Republic. The first time I was in Niger Reublic, it was about one weeks ago and I was there to ask the government to give us right of Way and where we can build warehouses for these business’. We are doing this to grow the economy and create employment. Simple! Even if we stop it at Jibya, jibya to maradi is just 12km to Niger and it doesn’t make sense”
About the pace of work, he observed that
there is a need to increase the pace of work. However stressed that the company were doing well, but the pace of work has slowed down. The Minister blamed Covid 19 as a bottleneck before now. “But it is no longer an excuse, they have worked for three months, we insist, the permeant Secretary, myself , board chairman of NRC, and the Managing Director NRC agreed that the technical committee should meet with them Tuesday to ensure that they put measures that the pace of work is increased so that by the next time we come here for inspection, we will see a huge improvement.
“They also gave covid as an excuse for cutting down the number of workers but if you wear your mask and sanitize your hands, you will reduce the risk of infection.
Meanwhile, the Minister has again blamed lack of funds for the delay in kickstart construction work at the coastal rail line. he however revealed that there is approval but still looking for money to mobilize contractors. “If we don’t have the money we can’t start. It is all about bringing investors to find the project and the work can be done under private public partnership”
The Minister however, have warned the contractors to sum up comprehensively all the works within their technical ability Amaechi pointed out that this has become necessary since programm of work for the Lagos to ibadan was not done comprehensively,
He said that the works are being done bit by bit ” It happens that when we ask, they give us one bit of it. We have said that we will not commence work in any other contract until we have a comprehensive programme of works so that we see when and where they start, when they finish as well taking into account the materials they use according to specifications”
On the completion big Apapa station that services the axis, he regreted the delay in the completion of work, he said, “there is a problem with NNPC Pipes at Ijora. We are talking with NNPC, we are still talking with their consulting firm because they need to move the pipeline. When they move the pipe line, we will continue with the construction. We reported this case four months ago to NNPC and we have not heard response.
What I decided is that I will see the minister of petroleum as well as the Group Managing Director of NNPC for a possible relocation of the pipe line for work to commence at the axis” end
TN Reports
Send an email
0 4 minutes read
