Amaechi To Meet With Experts Rail Track Along Apapa Corridor
By Yesirat Kazeem
Honourable Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi informed the press that he will meet with experts and other government stakeholders over the challenges affecting the completion of the third track that leads to Apapa Port in Lagos State. This was made known on Monday during his visit to the Apapa port where the track was laid.
He said that inspite of the delay in completion of the last track, the inauguration would hold, adding that the two track that led to the Apapa port had already been completed.
“We have issues concerning whether or not to remove some structures. Luckily, the Nigerian Customs Service has agreed that we should remove the old scanner center in the port, but this will be difficult.
“We are going to office to have a meeting on what to do about the situation”, Amaechi noted.
The minister emphasized that, “ It is only when the engineers have come out with proper and time-based solution that the issue will be resolved. We are working hard to find solutions to the issue of laying the last track. I am not an engineer but a policy maker”.
Present at the inspection was the Managing Director, Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Mr Fidet Okhiria, who emphasized on the economic importance for rail transportation in the country, saying it would facilitate ease in conveyance of passengers and commodities.
He said that making use of rail to convey containers from the ports would reduce multiple handling of goods. Hence, freight operation directly from the port would reduce cost of doing business and increase government revenue.
According to him, rail had to access the port for ships to load directly to the rail tracks.
“We are having meeting after the visit because if we remove the customs building it will increase the length from 750 metres to 850 metres.
“We are having meeting to deliberate on the best option to go for which will not affect the port’s structure,” he noted.
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