(http://fmi.gov.ng/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Senator_Idris_Umar-300x192.jpg) The Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar has decried the frequent stealing of rail components by thieves along the Port Harcourt –Enugu rail line.
The Minister was reacting after he was briefed by the Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Mr. Adeseyi Sijuwade on the level of work done so far on the Lot 1 of the rehabilitation of the Eastern Line rail services, which is Port Harcourt to Makurdi.
Engineer Sijuwade had equally lamented the inability of the contractor handling the project, ESER Contracting & Industry Company Incorporated to access the main quarry for the project located at Ishiagu near Enugu in Ebonyi State.
Engineer Sijuwade said the denial of access was seriously affecting the progress of work on the project and implored the Honourable Minister to assist in resolving the problem. He further briefed that a lot of stone (a major component of the laying of the rail track) had already been crushed at the
quarry by the contractor but had been prevented from accessing the site by some people laying claims to the quarry.
The NRC Managing Director also stated that replacing stolen (Pandrol) clips, another component of laying the track, was also affecting the smooth execution of the project.
In his reaction, the Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar stated that regardless of these challenges, the 2013 completion date for the project remained realizable. He promised to liaise with the Ebonyi State Governor, Chief Martin Elechi towards resolving the issues surrounding the Ishiagu quarry. He also directed the Managing Director of NRC to look into deploying the railway police to specific areas of thefts in order not to jeopardize the completion of the project.
In the course of his visit, the Minister had earlier inspected other components imported for track laying at the Railway Station in Port Harcourt as well as reconstruction work at Iyama Bridge in Enugu and the erosion sites located at Kilometre 63 in Aba after which he proceeded to Gombe, Bauchi, Jos and Kafanchan and Lafia for further inspection.
The Eastern lines comprise (Lot 1) 463 Km Port Harcourt to Makurdi; (Lot 2) 1,016 Km Makurdi to Kuru with the inclusion of spur line to Jos and Kafanchan; and (Lot 3) 640 Km Kuru to Maiduguri.
Via: Federal Ministry of Information (FMI) Nigeria
Such things shouldn't be a surprise to the Minister of transport. It is expected