By Sarah NEGEDU
The lack of operation on the Abuja Light Rail is said to be responsible for increased activities of vandals along the rail tracks, with the administration incurring huge cost to replace them.
Mandate Secretary for the FCT Transportation Secretariat, Alhaji Zakari Dobi, who disclosed this when he inspected the vandalized Abuja Light Rail Track and other railway facilities, said increased operation would reduce the level of vandalisation.
He assured that the FCTA would fix all the vandalize area to ensure proper utilisation of the already completed areas with the four Diesel Multiple Units on ground to put an end to vandalisation.
In his words, “We are going to look at issues to see if we can come up with possible ways on how to stop the vandalism completely but I do know that the first thing to do is to resume operation.”
Already, he said the FCT Administration plans to begin construction of 5.76 kilometers rail track in the nation’s capital.
Dobi explained that the secretariat was working assiduously to go back to site for the construction of 5.76 kilometers and fixing of the vandalize areas of the track.
According to him, the total bill for embarking on the construction of 5.76 kilometers rail track, as approved is $272 million.
He said the bill for the construction of the 5.76 kilometers rail track was before the FCTA permanent secretary on its way to the FCT minister’s table.
He expressed optimism that the minister who has so much concern about the Abuja Light Rail would quickly return the file.
“Two things informed this outing. Firstly, to be able to again evaluate and assess the level of vandalisation on the track.
“Secondly, to also look at the Training Centre at Idu Rail Station with a view to be able to relocate some Departments of the Federal Capital Territory Administration Transportation Secretariat due to challenges of office spaces in Area 11.
“What we saw was quite bad even though when I assumed office I have been briefed about the issue of vandalisation.
“We have intention to go back to site for the construction of 5.76 kilometers rail track in Abuja. The cost of the construction also contains fixing of the vandalized areas.
“We have seen some of the fresh areas that were vandalize and I want to believe that the projection made earlier on fixing the vandalize area will still accommodate what we saw.
“We are going to look at issues to see if we can come up with possible ways on how to stop the vandalisation completely but I do know that the first thing to do is to resume operation.”
