FG Frustrated $2.4bn Red Line Project for Eight Years

The Lagos State Government at the weekend disclosed that a federal government controlled by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) frustrated the execution of its light rail (Red Line) project for eight and half years.

However, the state government acknowledged that it had eventually obtained the approval of the federal government for the right of way for the construction of the project.

The Commissioner for Transportation, Dr. Ekundayo Mobereola disclosed this at a news conference he addressed in Alausa alongside the Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Mr. Olanrewaju Elegushi and the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mr. Oluseyi Whenu among others.

Even though the red line project valued at $2.4 billion (equivalent to N456 billion) will be delivered on the build operate and transfer (BOT) model, the state government cited paucity of fund as a challenge.

At the conference, Mobereola explained what the state government went through under a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-controlled federal government, noting that it took eight and half years to obtain approval for the execution of the state light rail (red line) project.

He said the right of way “was a problem for years. It took the federal government under the previous administration four and half years to approve the right of way. Our application was delayed for this period because the right of way belonged to the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC).”