The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, on Wednesday, March 6, declared that the Abuja Rail Mass Transit (ARMT) will be ready for inauguration in May.
Wike disclosed this when the Belgium Ambassador to Nigeria, Daniel Bertrand, visited him in Abuja.
He said the rail is 95 percent completed.
The minister explained that the feat was part of the efforts to improve public transportation in the nation’s capital.
He said: “When we came on board, we found out that the Abuja Light Rail was not functional and we felt that it would be a good thing for the people if we decongest the city by putting it to function.
“So, President Bola Tinubu directed that whatever can be done, should be done, so that in his one year in office, the light rail will come on board for the use of the residents.
“The people can use it going out of the city, going to the airport and other area councils, and instead of going with their vehicles, they can take the train.
“I can announce to you that we are almost there. The company handling the project, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), is almost 95 percent completed. By the grace of God, we believe that in May, Mr President will inaugurate it.”
Wike added that a discussion is ongoing with private investors to change the mode of public transportation in the FCT.
He acknowledged that the deficit in public transportation was constituting a security challenge in the city, adding that most of the operators were not registered.
He expressed concern that most residents do not know the vehicle they are boarding, adding that efforts were ongoing to ensure all public transport operators were registered.
The minister added that the government has concluded plans to build taxi and bus terminals where residents could patronize registered and identified operators.
Wike said the construction of the terminals would commence in the next month, with the approval of the Bureau of Public Procurement.
Source:The nation
