Nigeria Customs Service scanner centre impedes Apapa port rail extension project

MIKE OCHONMA

Business Editor

After many months of dashed hopes, despite assurances of targeted completion time of the rail tracks extension into Apapa port complex, Nigerians may have to wait longer than expected until some of the obstructions such as the old scanner equipment belonging to the Nigeria Customs Service is demolished to pave way for laying of the new tracks.

Minister of transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has said that Nigerian Customs Service has agreed to demolish the old scanner centre obstructing the laying of tracks into the Apapa port under the ongoing Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge project. Businees AM learnt that, the demolition may last another six months.

He disclosed this on Monday after the technical meeting with stakeholders on ways to resolve the challenges affecting the completion of the third track that leads to Apapa seaport.

Amaechi in a statement by his media assistant, Taiye Elebiyo-Edeni, said that a decision was reached to create a temporary alternative route inside the port during the period of the demolition.

The minister, however, assured that, the inauguration would hold in spite of the delay in completion of the last track, adding that the two tracks that led to the Apapa Port had already been completed.

He disclosed that the technical committee decided in the meeting that a temporary alternative route would be established inside the port while they start demolishing, after which the rail track will be laid and also a survey will be done under the water to find out about the cracks.

According to him “We have also decided that the drainage should be expanded to accommodate more water to reduce the flood on the rail track. There are three tracks, only one track is not able to enter the port which will be resolved. They should be able to remove the customs building in six months”.

He however, noted that freight operation directly from the port would reduce cost of doing business and increase government revenue.