The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi has expressed displeasure over the slow pace of work at Kano-Kaduna rail project.
Amaechi while speaking at the routine inspection tour of the project in Kano said, the CCECC has lost focus and is now playing politics by deliberately frustrating the targeted delivery period of the project.
The Minister promised a more detailed information on the project after Wednesday Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting.
“I think the CCECC is beginning to play politics. They should move away from politics and focus on construction. And I think they need to complete the Kaduna-Kano rail as planned.
“I think what they’re doing is to delay the project for this government to come to an end,” he said.
He added that provisions have been made for 2,000 equipment on the project, but only 500 has been delivered by the contractor.
“They are supposed to have over 2,000 equipment on this project, they have just 541 so far. They claimed that over 300 are in Kaduna. We have sent a team to check. But even if you add that, you will still have just over 800. Just over 800 equipment compared to 2,000, means something is wrong somewhere” he said.
“I know they will claim that we haven’t funded them but part of their responsibility as the contract is for them to look for the money. CCECC hasn’t given us money. Chinese haven’t given us money. So they can’t afford to delay it because is their responsibility to look for the money. That’s what the CCECC must do. But I will address the press and Nigerians on Wednesday after we meet with CCECC. If there is no difference, I will tell the country what’s going on”.
He said the report from the project consultant show the project is just about five percent completed, which is unacceptable.
The Minister however assured Nigerians that when completed, the project would be of high standard, saying, “quality is guaranteed. Quality is not our problem. Our problem is speed.”
The 204km rail corridor consists of 13 large and medium sized bridges, 17 framed bridges, 60 highway overpasses, 12 pedestrian overpasses and three stations.
Amaechi also visited the Dala Inland Dry Port, Kano where work was going on at impressive speed.
Managing Director, Dala Inland Dry Port, Ahmad Rabiu, told the Minister that all that was left were electrical fittings and minor works for operations to begin at the port just in weeks.
