From Tony John, Port Harcourt
The controversial N150 billion monorail project in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, still remains a source of worry to the citizens and residents. This is because of the humongous funds of Rivers State sunk in the project.
While a source alleged that the monorail project might have gulped about N30 billion, it has certainly generated a lot of controversy. In fact, it has been politicised.
It was discovered that anyone who condemns the monorail project is seen as anti-Chibuike Amaechi, precisely, a People’s Democratic Party (PDP) member. And those who talk good about the project are termed supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC). That’s the politics around the project.
The infamous monorail, which is located in the heart of the state, is an intracity rail project designed to ease traffic flow in Port Harcourt.
From designs, the monorail would be using the Intamin P30 monorail train, an electric train specially designed and most suitable for commuter services in cities.
The monorail project was the brainchild of former Governor Chibuike Amaechi. At the time the project started, the train was the most recent model of its kind. It was characterized by modern design, spacious cabins and equipped with large door openings for easy access for passengers with luggage.
The visual impact of the train, the track beam (which it rides on) and the supporting columns will be minimal and an appropriate colour would be chosen to help integrate the system into the environment.
The monorail beam is elevated, supported by columns which are supported by a foundation. The foundation was properly designed to take all loads applied from the column to the foundation.
The foundation and the beam structure was designed to a minimum life time of 50 years. The foundation was designed and built to withstand the local climate conditions of Port Harcourt, including flood, thunderstorm and heavy rain.
If completed, several trains would be in operation on the network between Aggrey Road and the loop north/east of the Garrison Station, as well as Former University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital ( UPTH) Junction (Aggrey Road), Sharks Stadium Park, Supabod, Isaac Boro Park, Garrison Junction, Nkpogu/ Elekahia Junction (Trans Amadi), Mother-Cat Junction (Rainbow), Ordinance Junction (NEWS), Elekahia Estate (Dustbin), Air Force Base Junction (Aba Road), Rumuola Junction, GRA Junction, Water Lines Junction, First or Second Artillery Junction, Rumukwurushi Junction, Oil Mill Junction, Eleme Junction and Oyigbo.
The proposed major terminals are Sharks Stadium Park (Station Road), Liberation Stadium (Elekahia) and Garden Park (Air Force Base Junction).
At the conceptualization of the project, Port Harcourt and its metropolitan area had 3.7 million citizens. The area is characterized by oil production and its associated industries. The rapidly increasing traffic in the city regularly poses serious concerns.
Therefore, city planners were looking for the fast implementation of an efficient mass transit system. At that time, the monorail project was part of the state’s infrastructural investments to improve the traffic situation.
The design speed of the train was 80km/h. The Port Harcourt monorail would have six coaches and can carry up to 210 passengers per coach.
The trains are to be driven by drivers. However, the trains are also equipped with ATC (automatic train control), which would monitor the speed of the train to ensure a high level of safety at any point on the track. The train operation system would be combined with a sophisticated automatic train protection and guiding solution allowing for optimisation of line performance while always ensuring a high safety of operation. staff in the operation control centre would monitor the train.
The depot and maintenance area is near the Sharks Park station. It includes eight tracks for trains, two separate maintenance tracks, one track with a closed washing bay for trains and one track exclusively for the maintenance and rescue vehicle.
However, Rivers people were told that Phase 1 of the project, with a length of 2.3 kilometres, was ready for operation. Also, the state government said Phase 2, when completed, would offer 19.5 kilometres of track to commuters and 14 stations between Aggrey Road and the loop North/East of Garrison station.
The then government was optimistic about the project, which was seen as the first in Africa. The people-mover transportation system set a new benchmark with regard to fast and smooth operation and with no interference to the rest of city traffic.
However, this project dream could not be realised. The project stopped at UTC Junction in Port Harcourt metropolis that does not experience heavy traffic till date.
Today, rather than the project adding to the aesthetics of the landscape, the pillars, beams and rail have defaced Port Harcourt city.
The Lagos Bus Stop area of the monorail, which is close to the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) mega filling station, has become a diesel depot. The dirtiness from the diesel business, coupled with refuse dumps, has defaced the town.
The most worrisome area is the Station Bus Stop, where the monorail project was flagged off by former President Goodluck Jonathan. Though the site was fenced round, bush and reptiles have taken over the entire premises.
Around it has become mechanic workshops and a danger zone for early and late movements. Hoodlums have turned the bus stop to an abode, where they attack unsuspecting members of the public.
Some residents who spoke to Daily Sun lamented the huge amounts of taxpayers’ money that had been wasted for several years. They argued that government being a continuum should start from where the predecessor stopped, no matter the government that initiated the project.
Another group maintained that the project’s conceptualization, ab initio, was a scam, used in siphoning funds.
National leader of South-South Chiefs and Elders’ Network, Omubo Harry, urged the state government to clear away hoodlums and illegal oil bunkering dealers from the Lagos and Station bus stop areas of the monorail because of the nuisance they are causing to the state.
He said: “It is a great disappointment to note about the so-called monorail project in Rivers State. It is a very great disappointment. And, if anybody knows that if he starts a project and he won’t complete it, why start it?
“Now, the Lagos Bus Stop area of the monorail has become a den of thiefs and other criminals. And they (hoodlums) have also turned the area to diesel dumps and selling point for illegal oil products. It is creating serious nuisance to the well-being of Rivers people, especially in the town axis.
“As I said earlier, government should clear away those hoodlums in Lagos Bus Stop and Station Bus Stop. These places are turning into something else. You can’t pass the areas in the night without being waylaid. It was never like that before.
“I actually lost words to say what is in my mind about Rivers State’s money being wasted. It’s a great disappointment. We need a passionate government. We need those who have passion for the state and their offices.
“I think, if it is possible, instead of the project to sleep perpetually, government should look at how to revive it in a way it could be useful for the citizens of the state. They (government) should rethink and invest in that project. If they want to turn it into something viable that would serve a good purpose, it would be commendable.
“The Lagos Bus Stop and Station Bus Stop areas are strategic to Port Harcourt town axis. We cannot just allow the monorail to waste and become a den of criminals. It would be disastrous.”
The elder statesman added that Amaechi, who initiated the monorail project, could have used his federal appointment as a minister of transportation and converted it to a federal project with the purpose of completing it.
However, Comrade Enefaa Georgewill, a social and human rights crusader, was of the opinion that the monorail project would have been useful, if the government that initiated it had focused on areas (places) that have low economic activities. Georgewill said that if the project had continued along the designated places, it would amounted to huge wastage of property and resources.
He said: “For us in the civil society organisations, our position has always been that government is a continuum. Government should do well to finish projects started by previous government. However, the current government has argued that the monorail has no economic value. Their argument is that the monorail is a conduit pipe to fleece the state’s fund.
“However, the viability of the project should be questioned. For that project to be completed, you can imagine the kind of property that would be destroyed. The money for the monorail should have been diverted to other demanding sectors that need our resources like education, agriculture, science and technology.”
“Would it be economically wise to further the project that would destroy property and gulp huge financial resources? A lot of private homes, hotels and other property would go down for the project to proceed.
“One would have expected that such monorail would have been built in areas where there is less economic activities.”
He, however, added that government should have engaged experts on how to continue with the project, or alternatively, how to convert the abandoned sites to a tourist centre to generate revenue for the state.