The federal government is set to commence construction of the Port Harcourt-Bonny-Maiduguri and the Kano-Maladi, in Niger Standard gauge line railway projects.
The federal government through the Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi explained that the Niger standard gauge line railway projects will pass through Kano, Dutse, Kazaure, Daura, Katsina, Jibya, then Maladi.
Amaechi who noted this during the Lagos to Ibadan Railway project inspection said they are waiting for the approval of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) to commence construction of two major railway projects including the Kano-Maladi, and Port-Harcourt-Maiduguri railway.
He said more engineers have come from China to ensure the project is completed in record time, adding that the Chinese are currently observing the required self-isolation in line with Nigeria’s COVID-19 protocols.
He said they are also pursuing the loan for the contract which has been awarded for the Lagos to Calabar rail line, saying that they also expect that Ibadan to Kano will commence before the end of this year.
Amaechi stated that the contractors have given the assurance that the project will be completed by December with the exception of Apapa station.
According to him “They have given us the following targets: end of September, three stations will be ready, end of October, all the minor stations will be ready, end of December, everything will be ready. They are still keeping to the target of December.
“The only one they are afraid of is the Apapa Station because they started very late. But l am insisting that Apapa should be completed at the same time as the rest and I have told them to set up a task force just for Apapa alone and I will come by end of September to see for myself how far they have gone,” he stated.
Speaking on the recent train accident in Lagos and the alleged attack on the Abuja-bound train from Kaduna, the Minister expressed regret over the loss of life but insisted that Nigerians must be made to respect the right of way for trains or be made to face the law.
“It is unfortunate that there is a loss of life. The governor and I have agreed that Lagosians know that the train track is not a market. When we start running, they need to give way to the track.
He also debunked the rumour that a train was attacked in Abuja.
“Leave these social media propagandists alone. Young boys threw stones at the train near Kubwa and broke a glass and they stopped and arrested them,” he said.
