President Buhari approves 6 new railway projects
- Nigeria's President, Muhammadu Buhari, has given approval for six new railway projects
- The minister of transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, said the projects include the new standard gauge rail from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri
- Amaechi explained that all the projects will be included in the 2018 appropriation
The minister of transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has said President Muhammadu Buhari has given approval for six new railway projects, New Telegraph reports.
Legit.ng gathered that the projects include the Kano-Katsina-Jibiya to Maradi in Niger Republic; the new standard gauge rail from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri passing through Enugu, Lafia, Makurdi, Gombe, with branches to Owerri, Onitsha, Awka, Abakaliki, Yola, Jalingo and Damaturu.
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The rest of the projects are extension of the Itapke-Aladja (Warri) to Abuja and Warri Port; development of Railway Industrial Park in Port Harcourt and a proposal for railway connection to Bonny Island Deep Sea port from Port Harcourt.
He said: “We sought and got Mr. President’s approval to source for financiers for various rail projects for development. Negotiations are ongoing and we may need to make some contributions depending on the negotiations."
The minister further said so far, encouraging progress has been made in sourcing financiers for the prioritized projects. “As we have received expression of interest with potential and indicative financial models and business plan for their development,” he said.
Amaechi explained that all the projects will be included in the 2018 appropriation in order to reach the goals of President Muhammadu Buhari administration in the development of railways.
He also disclosed that the federal government intends to use the 2018 budget to complete the ongoing Itakpe-Ajaokuta-Warri-Aladja railway project, which commenced 32 years ago.
According to minister, counterpart funding will be required as federal government’s contribution for the financing of the Ibadan-Kano project and the Nigerian coastal line Lagos-Calabar project would commence this year.
On the 2017 budget, the minister informed that while a total capital provision of N152.527 billion was made for land transport, only N64.781 billion was released. He said the total of N20.310 billion has been expended as at January 2018.
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In a previous report by Legit.ng, President Muhammadu Buhari had directed that all the 36 state capitals should be connected with rail in the ongoing railway projects.
The minister of transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, said on Thursday, October 19, 2017, at the meeting with the chairman Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debts, Sen. Shehu Sani.
The meeting also attended by the ministers of finance; budget and national planning; and power, works and housing, was in connection with President Buhari’s loan request of 5.5 billion dollars.
Rotimi Amaechi says he is busy on the streets on Legit.ng TV.
Source: Legit.ng
