In the APC’s popular style of reneging on its promises to members of the public, the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, announced on Tuesday that the Federal Government won’t be able to meet up with the official launch of the Abuja-Kaduna rail project on May 29 as it earlier promised.
Amaechi who made the announcement at Idu, Abuja, while inspecting the project site as well as arrival of two new coaches by the Project contractors, also gave excuses for the change in date, saying the new development was as a result of earlier refusal of Daughters of Charity Hospital in Kubwa to relocate to a new location to allow for alignment of the rail tracks.
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He further said the negotiations had since been met between the contractors and the hospital to make available a new facility for them.
In the minister’s words:
“We have two coaches here, the remaining three will arrive in the next 10 days from Lagos, but so far we have been able to resolve what made us not to keep to the date.
“The Daughters of Charity hospital refused the demolition of their place to allow for the alignment.
“The negotiation have taken place and we have agreed that demolition will commence tomorrow.
“The fencing will start from today.
“We will keep to our own side of the bargain.
“We have given them the C of O, which they have confirmed, and the contractors have agreed to build the hospital and convent.
“We have been told by the engineers not to give time anymore for the official launching.”
Fidet Okhiria, Acting Managing Director of the Nigeria Railway Corporation, who was present during the inspection, also added that the newly imported coaches are expected to last for a 30 year period with a monthly, quarterly and annual routine maintenance.