Many workers handling the Lagos-Ibadan rail project are stuck in China because of the outbreak of Coronavirus (COVID-19), according to Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi.

He said the development might delay the completion of the project.

Amaechi said the Chinese government prevented some of the workers from returning to Nigeria because of the virus.

The minister spoke on a television programme monitored by our correspondent.

He said: “If not for Coronavirus, I would have said that we are nearly finished with the Lagos-Ibadan rail. The bulk of the workforce is still in China. The government of China did not allow them to return and that has delayed the work on Lagos-Ibadan.”

Amaechi added that the government was test-running the rail tracks.

He said 10 coaches each would be deployed in the Lagos-Ibadan and Abuja-Kaduna rail lines to ease passengers movement.

The minister said: “We are still test-running the tracks. Commercial activities are yet to commence fully. To test-run the tracks, we brought in two coaches, each coach takes about 25 passengers. So, the two coaches take about 50 passengers.

“We have got signals from the passengers and the engineers that the tracks are ready to run, but we need to complete communication, signaling and station buildings. Once that is done, we are good to go.

“We are bringing in 20 new coaches and four new locomotives, 10 coaches will be deployed in Abuja-Kaduna and the other 10 in Lagos-Ibadan.”