GIFT ROBERTS
Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed has said that the Lagos-Ibadan Standard Gauge project would be inaugurated by President Muhammadu Buhari on June 10.
Mohammed disclosed this yesterday while speaking with Newsmen at the Wole Soyinka Railway Station in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.
He said this during a joint inspection of the project with the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, saying that the inspection was basically to ensure that everything is set toward the inauguration ceremony.
He said: “Tentatively, the Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge will be inaugurated on June 10. What the Honourable Minister is doing is to ensure that all the Is are dotted and the Ts are crossed before June 10.
“You can see right from Apapa to Agege, Papalanto to this place; you have seen us go down to engage the contractor to ensure that everything is in order.
“It is because this is one of the flagships of this administration, one of the landmark achievements of this administration.
“Not only is this the first time we are having a dual standard gauge, but you can see the passion by which the minister supervises the project.”
The Minister reiterated that the Buhari-led administration is committed to improving the lives of Nigerians through railway modernisation across the country by making land journeys more comfortable.
He added, “The government is desirous of improving the lives of the people in the area of transportation.
“This is my fourth experience with the Honourable Minister on this project and I see progress every day.
“There is nothing to deflect the attacks on this administration than by showing concrete evidence like this one that this the administration is focused, is committed to delivering infrastructure to Nigerians.
“With this railway project completed, we are cutting down the travel time between Lagos and Ibadan, but more importantly, we are creating jobs along the line. It is by far safer than travelling by road. So far, we are satisfied with what we are seeing.”