Wike Decries Poor Design of Abuja Rail Stations 

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has raised serious concern about the ‘poor’ designs and execution of some of the railway stations on the Abuja Rail Mass Transit by the China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC).

He voiced the displeasure yesterday during an inspection tour of the Central Metro Rail and Kukwaba stations rail project.

Wike also decried the spate of vandalism of security fencing and the failure of the management to effect repairs and replacement as he instructed to be done during the last inspection.

The minister bemoaned the ‘filthy’ condition of Kukwaba two railway station and the slow pace of access road to the station.

He said: “We have to also talk about the kind of vandalism and stealing going on there. We have security companies that were awarded contracts to secure those areas, yet things are happening.

“Excuses are being given on how security agencies released those that were caught, but for me that is not enough and we are going to make sure that we have a different method to be adopted, to see that we can’t continue to give excuses everyday.”

He appealed to contractors handling the various projects to rise up to the occasion to make the rail project ready for inauguration in May this year.

The minister promised to review the security contract of the rail facilities as he bemoaned the alleged vandalism of the security facilities provided in the metro station, including some of the rail facilities allegedly stolen by the security personnel of CCECC.

“This is one project that I’m so compassionate about, and you know that the president gave me a directive that must not be taken for granted. Therefore, we have to come and make sure that things are in good shape.

“When we first visited the metro station, I discovered that they are many security lapses, and I remember when I first came after our inauguration, I did say that we have to work on the issue of security by putting on the fence around the metro station.

“This is to ward off criminals but unfortunately, that has not been done. To my surprise, it was discovered that the contract was not even awarded to CCECC, it is a different contract awarded by the FCT and this is my first time of hearing that and we are going to take it up immediately to see that it is being put in place,” he said.

The minister warned that it would be disastrous for him if by May this year, the metro stations were not operational even though from what he had seen, all the stations were poorly designed.

Wike said: “Whoever may have approved the design is unfair to Nigerians. I have told CCECC that these designs are not even acceptable in their countries. If I had known before now, I wouldn’t have promised the president that we will be ready, but be it as it may, we still have to work round the clock to see that we achieve our result.”