Amaechi, China Sign MoU For Construction Of Lagos-Ibadan, Calabar-PH Rail
Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, and Managing Director, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation, CCECC, Jack Li.[/caption]
Rotimi Amaechi, the minister of transport has signed a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU with China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) a Chinese company for construction of Lagos-Ibadan, Calabar-Portharcourt rail line.
The MoU was signed on Wednesday in compliance with the China Exim Bank requirement.
According to the minister, the Ministries of Finance, Works and Housing, National Planning and Justice are all involved in efforts to drive the project to completion in record time.
Advertisement
“I am told that before November, we can commence the Lagos-Ibadan construction.
“So, we can begin to count for CCECC in the case of Lagos-Ibadan from November, hoping that in November 2018, you should have finished work.’’
The minister further added that the Federal Government would get the counterpart fund for the project expected to cost 3.4 billion dollars.
Jack Li, the Managing Director of CCECC, said that the project would be completed in record time.
Advertisement
He expressed optimism that the project, when completed, would not only benefit the people but the society at large.
He further gave an assurance that the Calabar-Port Harcourt Coastal rail line would be built in line with international standard.
“I want to give my commitment and assure you that on completion, the rail line will be as good as, or even better than the completed Abuja-Kaduna rail line,” he said.
Recall that in the amended budget presented by President Muhammadu Buhari last January after the dust had settled over the “missing budget”, the sum of N80 billion was included for the Calabar-Lagos rail project in the amended budget by the executive and submitted to the National Assembly.
After the submission, Amaechi followed up by presenting a document in defence of the Calabar-Lagos railway project to the National Assembly in order to ensure that it was passed as one of the subheads for the budget of his ministry.
