A sigh of relief is under way for businesses as the railway system at the Lagos Port complex, especially around the APM Terminals has been fully rehabilitated and will soon be put to use for the evacuation of goods.

The managing director of APM Terminals Apapa Ltd, Mr Dallas Hampton, told our correspondent during an interaction with newsmen at the terminal that the company was ready to begin evacuation of containers by rail and was only awaiting the service kick-off by a private company that has been assigned to manage the service.

The Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) in collaboration with the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) began rehabilitation work on the rail tracks early last year in response to maritime industry stakeholders’ yearn for intermodal transport system around the Lagos seaports and other ports in the country.

The Lagos seaport access roads have remained perpetually in terrible condition due to excessive usage by heavy tonnage vehicles, breeding traffic gridlocks and causing pain to road users and loss of massive man hours year-in year-out in the last 10years, with serious rehabilitation started by federal government only late last year.

“The rehabilitation work on the rail within our terminal has been completed and ready for use. We are ready to begin evacuation of containers by rail. A company called IICL Ltd has been assigned to take charge of that service and we have been in regular talks to that effect lately,” Hampton told our correspondent at a media interaction at the terminal.

“I am not so sure what is causing the delay in the kicking off of the service, it may be due to some internal issues, but I’m not sure. But we are ready to start the service,” he added.

Like every other rail system in the country, the seaports rail links were abandoned leaving only the roads to bear the brunt of cargo evacuation.

http://leadership.ng/news/140713/evacuation-cargoes-rail-seaports-begins-soon

This is a wonderful news.

I can see some e-warriors drinking rat poison because of this good news. GEJ carry go ochichi gi di anyi nma na ahu

Good riddiance!!!
Fresh air!!!
Infrastrural development. I must say this is good for the nation.

That means a reduction in the amount of trailers and tankers plying our roads. Welcome development. Kudos to G.E.J......

FRESH AIR everywhere you go!

Sincere 9gerian: FRESH AIR everywhere you go!

Even in Port-Harcourt!!

Please where does the rail in Lagos lead to? Because I have not seen any visible sign of a rail line leaving the apapa port.

ba7man: Even in Port-Harcourt!!

See when Amaechi was gathering ant-infested firewood
https://www.nairaland.com/1356132/when-amaechi-gathering-ant-infested-firewood

Who do we blame now that lizards are beginning to appear?

President Jonathan: A Study in Under Promising and Over Delivering ...

Goodluck is working.
This is a commendable development.
This man is a magician oh.
Positive development is now a common norm.
Goodluck na elele no president be like am.
I'm feeling it -Fresh air.

ba7man: That means a reduction in the amount of trailers and tankers plying our roads. Welcome development. Kudos to G.E.J......

that's why I like you,you give credit when its due..not all those see no good hear no good as long as I don't like his face...

@topic very good development...just imagine how this will reduce the cost of transporting goods which will in effect lead to lower market prices for consumers...SLOW and STEADY TRANSFORMATION noni....

GEJ is working,but his arrogant wife seems to be tainting whatever little image he has carved for himself. He really meant well for this country,but his wife's behaviour and his deafening silent on that,tend to blind us from seeing the good side in him,and the good intention he has for this nation. KUDOS Mr.President!

chidindufrank: I can see some e-warriors drinking rat poison because of this good news. GEJ carry go ochichi gi di anyi nma na ahu

lol see me see trouble so na because of d above u guys dey dance alingo mtcheeew abeg bring real development not dis type dat ought not be in d news in d 1st place.

Am tired of " IS UNDERWAY " and " WILL SOON " have been hearing these only God knows. Both phrase can be 2013;2014;2015;2016;2017 etc

ninja4life:
lol see me see trouble so na because of d above u guys dey dance alingo mtcheeew abeg bring real development not dis type dat ought not be in d news in d 1st place.

So in your definition what's real development?...

GEJ Is working and haters are busy hating,GEJ carry go till 2019

Just because it was nt built by BRF Eko ille will nt roll out all his "eko o oni baje" . GEJ ALL THE WAY

ninja4life:
lol see me see trouble so na because of d above u guys dey dance alingo mtcheeew abeg bring real development not dis type dat ought not be in d news in d 1st place.

You obviously think real development is the announcement of

* road expansion
* dashing a godfather's company 20% subsidy on gas cylinder
* super-size generators to power LOCATION specific institutions and buildings
* dashing students computing tablets without adequately moticated teachers and school facilities while students struggle to pay sundry fees.
* etc, etc.

To you and others like you it is not about socio-economic POLICIES such as this very laudable one to spur economic growth and employment. Or is it
You should read up about the destruction of the Nigerian railways since 1960s to appreciate the importance of this initiative.

shee market go cheap now abi??

papadenzel: Please where does the rail in Lagos lead to? Because I have not seen any visible sign of a rail line leaving the apapa port.

Apapa → Ijora → Iddo where it links up with the main line (to Kano). I can just imagine the effect of this on the Apapa-Oworonshoki Expressway!

They can also make extra money by carrying goods from all those companies around Ijora (7up, etc).

Please you guys should beg GEJ to give us light at UNIPORT. We pay our bills regularly even with the darkness.

dridowu: Am tired of " IS UNDERWAY " and " WILL SOON " have been hearing these only God knows. Both phrase can be 2013;2014;2015;2016;2017 etc

Let me repeat & highlight relevant portions of the post as it seems you missed it.

Sincere 9gerian: A sigh of relief is under way for businesses as the railway system at the Lagos Port complex, especially around the APM Terminals has been fully rehabilitated and will soon be put to use for the evacuation of goods.

The managing director of APM Terminals Apapa Ltd, Mr Dallas Hampton, told our correspondent during an interaction with newsmen at the terminal that the company was ready to begin evacuation of containers by rail and was only awaiting the service kick-off by a private company that has been assigned to manage the service.

The Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) in collaboration with the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) began rehabilitation work on the rail tracks early last year in response to maritime industry stakeholders’ yearn for intermodal transport system around the Lagos seaports and other ports in the country.

The Lagos seaport access roads have remained perpetually in terrible condition due to excessive usage by heavy tonnage vehicles, breeding traffic gridlocks and causing pain to road users and loss of massive man hours year-in year-out in the last 10years, with serious rehabilitation started by federal government only late last year.

“The rehabilitation work on the rail within our terminal has been completed and ready for use. We are ready to begin evacuation of containers by rail. A company called IICL Ltd has been assigned to take charge of that service and we have been in regular talks to that effect lately,” Hampton told our correspondent at a media interaction at the terminal.

“I am not so sure what is causing the delay in the kicking off of the service, it may be due to some internal issues, but I’m not sure. But we are ready to start the service,” he added.

Like every other rail system in the country, the seaports rail links were abandoned leaving only the roads to bear the brunt of cargo evacuation.

http://leadership.ng/news/140713/evacuation-cargoes-rail-seaports-begins-soon

I hope you understand the difference between past tense and future tense

@anonimi
why did you skip the will soon be?

Not a Fan of GEJ but I hope this is true & if it is, it is long overdue. Another milestone reached!!!!!!!
It should not end there we should now think of expanding the rail system so that we can reduce the use of trailers and other heavy duty vehicles on our major road and concentrate them in the hinterlands.....................................

Sincere 9gerian: FRESH AIR everywhere you go!

wat of Adamawa,yobe,River. Fresh err.

People should stop praising all these white elephant projects.
Lets all look for answers to the following questions.
1. Have we seen any major rail line leading to major cities in the country ?
2. What is the destination point of these project ? Apapa port to ?? (please also note that we have several ports of discharge i.e Apapa,Tincan,Five star,Grimaldi etc
3. Are there any terminals in the major cities to accommodate the containers from the port ?

If we cant readily get answers to the above questions, So how will goods be transported to these cities since we all know our nation is import-dependence.

naptu2:

Apapa → Ijora → Iddo where it links up with the main line (to Kano). I can just imagine the effect of this on the Apapa-Oworonshoki Expressway!

They can also make extra money by carrying goods from all those companies around Ijora (7up, etc).

I hope and pray this is true oh!!! Eziokwum.

Thank you Lord for providing us with a leader of vision and sense of belonging. just relatively two yrs and some months in power, gej has done what some president couldn`t achieved for a 8yrs. just waiting for otukpo, lafia Enugu interstate dual carriage way construction flag off. Fresh Air Nigeria. Kudos Presido

will the tanker/trailer owners sit down and watch as food is removed from their tables

the problem of Nigeria is not about developing infrastructure, it is about merging the interest group of the "Cabal" that are benefiting from the decaying/ lack of infrastructure.

naptu2:

Apapa → Ijora → Iddo where it links up with the main line (to Kano). I can just imagine the effect of this on the Apapa-Oworonshoki Expressway!

They can also make extra money by carrying goods from all those companies around Ijora (7up, etc).

I hope and pray this is true oh!!! Eziokwum. In Apapa for example, you'll discover that flour mill factory blocked a rail line there. So I wonder what will happen to the factory if indeed the rehab got to that area.