The Federal Government is set to demolish two bridges in Lagos to pave way for the construction of the Standard Guage Rail line extension from Ebute-Meta to Apapa Seaports. They are the Jibowu and Costain bridges.
Muhammad Idris, Head Press and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Transportation, made this known in a statement.
According to the statement, the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, gave the hint at the weekend, when he led journalists on inspection tour of the Rail Line from the Ebute-Metta end of the Lagos-Ibadan Standard Gauge Rail Line to Apapa Sea port in Lagos.
Amaechi disclosed that considering the ‘heavy economy’ of Lagos, as well as to avoid causing unnecessary traffic chaos within the affected areas without providing alternative bridges, there was need to complete construction work on that axis before demolishing the bridges.
“There are two bridges we are going to demolish in Lagos; one is at Jibowu and the other one is at Costain. But we have to finish construction before we demolish because Lagos is such a heavy economy that if you demolish without first of all constructing the alternative bridges, you’ll cause serious crisis with the traffic. So, we will first finish construction before we demolish the Jibowu Bridge. They have commenced with Costain; when they finish with the construction and get the traffic relieved, then we’ll demolish the old bridge”, he said.
On the solutions to the challenges hindering the conveying of cargoes by train from the Apapa Seaport, the minister added that currently, the Standard Gauge Rail Line has not been constructed to Apapa ports and the Narrow Gauge Line is not functioning to its full capacity hence, the train could not move enough cargoes as expected.
“We are yet to construct the standard gauge. For now, Narrow Standard Gauge is not functioning to its capacity. Until these two things happen, you can’t move enough cargoes. Currently, we are having between two hundred and three hundred thousand tonnes of cargo in a year when you have thirty million tonnes of cargoes. So, if you have thirty million tonnes of cargoes, you have to make sure that the tracks function properly to move those cargoes,” he said.
On the ownership of properties on the right of way in Apapa Ports, the minister directed the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) to carefully identify the rightful owners for enumeration and proper valuation of such properties for compensation payment before demolition.
