ABUJA – By Innocent Phinan The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Muhammad Musa Bello has said that the on-going rail transportation project in the FCT has the potential of fast tracking the development of Abuja and generates huge revenue for government when it eventually becomes operational.
A statement issued by the Deputy Director / Chief Press Secretary, of the Ministry, Muhammad Hazat Sule on Tuesday in Abuja, noted that Bello expressed this optimism on Tuesday in his office, while receiving a delegation of Nigeria Infrastructure Advisory Facility (NIAF) led by its Technical Team
Leader, Mr. Michael Mutter, who came to make presentation on public transportation in the territory.
The Minister reiterated that the entire rail system, from the signaling, powering, managing the investments on the rail corridor and of course the various rail stations are all aspects of the system that
are very significant in terms of investments with huge potential for revenue generation, the statement said.
Bello specifically stated that the transit oriented development, which has the capacity to service over 1.5 million people daily along the eastern and western corridors of the FCT, including the feeder system along the Karshi/Nyanya axis, would play a very significant role in the city in the near and far future.
His words: “It’s something that I find very interesting. We are talking of areas of almost 1.5 million people, if you look at the eastern and western corridors, including the feeder system and the
Karshi Nyanya axis. I’m sure other feeder systems will also come in the areas not captured here”.
The Minister, who noted that the Administration was working to avoid some of the pitfalls it encountered in the management of the bus system, said a lot of work has been done in the rail transportation policy with all the other related items captured in the draft paper that has been sent to the National Assembly, the statement added.
While appreciating the support the FCT Administration has been receiving from NIAF, the Minister assured that his Administration would support the International Donor Agency to achieve more results.
He, however, called on NIAF to help in carrying out a study by giving attention to the Satellite Towns in terms of transportation to better the lives of residents dwelling in such areas.
The Minister emphasized that his Administration intends to give priority attention to the provision of basic infrastructure in the Satellite Towns, considering the huge population resident in such places.
He urged NIAF to take a closer look at the operations of the Abuja Urban Mass Transit Company (AUMTCO) to give professional advises on how to improve their services, because efficient mass transportation is very significant to the smooth running of every municipality, the statement said.
Speaking further on the challenges facing the operation of Bus Rapid Transit system in the FCT, the Minister lamented that its maintenance has been quite stressful, owing to the quality of the buses as well their suitability for the terrain they are operating.
“Even if the buses were up and doing, we’ve realized that the way the company is structured now, their revenue stream cannot pay for their expenses. So, these are the challenges that we are facing”, he added.
“Especially on the Central Business District to Masaka corridor, I’ve read some reports from the FCT Engineering Department, from Federal Road Safety Commission as well as the Federal Ministry of
Transportation, the general feeling is that the road as presently designed is not wide enough to meet up on the requirements of BRT operation. It’s not as wide as the 10 lanes that we have on the Kubwa
and Airport Expressways. These are areas that people have raised concerns,” he stressed.
“But, in overall, I’m so pleased that we are relating and partnering with a very reputable organization like yours, with the full support of the UK AID and also the government of the United Kingdom. I’m happy that you consider the FCT as one of your best clients,” the Minister remarked.
During the presentation, the Technical Team Leader of the Nigeria Infrastructure Advisory Facility (NIAF), Mr. Michael Mutter said that the project is funded by the British government through the Department for International Development but implemented by Adam Smith International.
Mr. Mutter revealed that NIAF has been able to undertake the review of the Legal and Regulatory Framework for the provision of BMT in the FCT; Drafting the Template Bus Operator Licence; Travel Demand Surveys as well as establishment of a Rail Safety Regulatory Unit.
According to him, Viability Study for BMT Operations along the Central Business District (CBD)-Masaka routes; Conceptual Design for the BMT infrastructure on the CBD-Masaka and CBD-Suleja routes as well as Outline Business Case for the Abuja Light rail Lots 1 and 3 have all been completed.
FCT Permanent Secretary, Dr. Babatope Ajakiaye and some senior FCT Administration officials, particularly from the FCT Transportation Secretariat also attended the presentation session, the statement said.
