Minister to meet with experts rail track along Apapa corridor

The Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, says he will meet with experts and other government stakeholders over the challenges affecting the completion of the third track that leads to Apapa Port.

Amaechi made the disclosure on Monday in Lagos shortly after his visit to the Apapa port where the track was laid.

“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.

“We are working hard to find solutions to the issue of laying the last track. I am not an engineer but a policy maker.

“It is only when the engineers have come out with proper and time-based solution that the issue will be resolved,”Amaechi said.

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.

Also speaking, the Managing Director, Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Mr Fidet Okhiria, stressed the for rail transportation in the country, saying it would facilitate easier movement of passengers and goods.

Okhiria said that 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 said.

Okhiria said that making use of rail to convey containers from the ports would reduce multiple handling of goods.

He also said that freight operation directly from the port would reduce cost of doing business and increase government revenue.