By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Minister of the FCT, Mr Muhammad Musa Bello, has disclosed that the total percentage of progress so far made in the on-going Abuja Mass Rail Transit project is put at 90.27 percent as most of the train stations were at the finishing stages.
Mr Bello made this disclosure after he inspected the project site and had a train ride from the Abuja Metro Station behind the Abuja World Trade Centre at the Central Business District to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja on Monday.
The Minister, who was in company of the FCT Permanent Secretary, Dr Babatope Ajakaiye and other senior officials of the FCT Administration, noted that there are 13nos railway bridges, 50nos culverts, 15nos flyover bridges and 9nos pedestrian overpasses bridges that are all 100 percent completed.
He also revealed that the total length of the rail double track laid is 45.245 kilometres thereby making it 100 percent complete of the entire Lots 1A and 3.
According to him, out of the total 12nos Train Stations under construction, 10 are at advanced stage with painting and installation of mechanical and electrical works currently in progress, while the remaining two being fast tracked, thereby making the entire Stations 85 percent completed.
The Minister stated that the locomotive and rolling stock deport is 85 percent complete, while communication as well as signalling are also 85 percent complete respectively.
“The percentage progress of work on the power supply is however 20 percent but adequate progress would be achieved soon,” he said.
Due to the importance the FCT Administration attaches to the Abuja Rail Mass Transit project, the Minister assured that his Administration would work assiduously to complete the project and make it operational as planned.
Mr Bello reiterated that it is the desire of his administration to assuage the difficulties currently being experienced by commuters in the Federal Capital Territory and that is why rapid attention is given to the project.
The Minister, during the inspection tour thus, directed that CCECC, the company handling the project, should ensure that qualified Nigerians not Chinese are employed for the management of the Train service since about 1,000 personnel are expected to be employed.
