There are indications that the construction of the Ibadan–Osogbo–Ilorin Segment of Lagos–Kano standard gauge railway line will soon commence. This follows a call by the House of Representatives on Tuesday that the federal government should waste no time before the commencement of the work.
The Federal House of Representatives urged the Federal Ministry of Transportation to commence construction of the Ibadan-Osogbo-Ilorin segment of the Lagos-Kano Standard Gauge Railway without further delay.
The resolution to commence the work came as a result of a motion by Hon. Abdulganiyu S. Cook Olododo.
Honorable Olododo stated that the Lagos-Kano Standard Gauge Railway which was about 2,700km was raised by the Federal Government in 2006 to provide transport connections from Lagos to Kano, close to the border with Niger.
According to him, “The Lagos-Kano Standard Gauge Railway project was awarded to China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC) and segmented into Lagos-Ibadan, Ibadan-Osogbo-Ilorin, Osogbo-Ado Ekiti, Ilorin-Minna, Minna-Abuja, Abuja-Kaduna and Kaduna-Kano segments for ease execution."
“The Abuja-Kaduna and Lagos-Ibadan segments of the project have since been completed and commissioned by the Federal Government leaving the Ibadan-Osogbo-Ilorin, Osogbo-Ado Ekiti, IlorinMinna, Minna-Abuja and Kaduna-Kano segments of the project uncompleted."
Honorable Olododo added that “In July 2021, the Kano-Kaduna angle of the Lagos-Kano Standard Gauge Railway project kicked off while works on the Ibadan-Osogbo- Ilorin segment of the project have been put on hold by the Federal Government, thus denying the people of Ilorin and other surrounding towns the benefits associated with the construction of the rail line from Ibadan to Ilorin."
“If the construction of the Osogbo- Ilorin segment of Lagos-Kano Standard Gauge Rail project is achieved, the purpose for which the project was conceived would be greatly beneficial to the people as it would foster commercial activities within the surrounding areas, thus improving their economy and the economy of the country at large,” Olododo stated.
The Federal House has however adopted the motion and has compelled its Committee on Land Transport to quickly expedite action on the matter.
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