I was nearly angry with Ambode over handling of rail project – Amaechi

I was nearly angry with Ambode over handling of rail project – Amaechi

By Jeffrey Agbo

Former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, on Thursday revealed he was “nearly angry” with ex-governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos over his handling of the rail project.

He said that the federal government allowed Lagos State Government to make use of the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) track for the red line but Ambode didn’t take the project seriously.

Amaechi spoke at the Intermodal Transportation Summit in Lagos organised by the Transportation Correspondents’ Association of Nigeria (TCAN) with the theme, “Intermodal Transport: Prospects and Challenges.”

He, however, commended the administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for taking up the projects and seeing them to completion.

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“There was monorail in Rivers State. But in all honesty Lagos State has done well in rail transportation. The place I nearly got angry was when Ambode almost gave up the blue line,” said Amaechi.

“I tried to get Ambode. I tried through the vice president, I reported him to the president until the new governor came. I said, ‘Listen, we were about to close the line. There is a line the Ministry of Transport would give you based on our agreement.’

“Ambode had told me as if they were not interested. He said they were to construct it (a new track). I said, “No don’t construct, use the federal government’s corridor. There is not enough train movement, buy your own coaches and run on our tracks.”