FG Okays $1.2bn Kano, Kaduna Rail Project
Rotimi Ameachi, Minister of Transport[/caption]
The Federal Government has approved the sum of $1.2 billion for the construction of the new Kano – Kaduna railway line.
Minister of transport, Rotimi Ameachi disclosed during his visit to Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano State on Monday.
Explaining the rationale behind the project, the minister said President Muhammadu Buhari gave the go ahead for the contract due to the huge size of Kano State economy.
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“I think the President is doing that because the economy of Kano is also large in the country, and between Kano and Lagos, we have about a total of 30 million tons of freight, and that will help in conveying some of them to Abuja, while we extend the construction to Lagos.”
Amaechi further said that the Lagos – Kano rail (narrow gauge) would have more locomotives before June 2017, stressing that “we are trying to bring in about 100 locomotives to move between Lagos – Kano – Funtua and Port Harcourt – Gombe.”
He further noted that the initiative would greatly impact on Kano and help boost the economy as a whole.
The minister commended the Kano State government for embarking on infrastructural development in the state, despite facing stiff economic challenges.
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In his remark, Governor Ganduje, who acknowledged the importance of the rail project, said his administration was also fine tuning moves to commence the Kano intra-city light rail project.
He explained that 85 percent of the total project which is worth about $1.85 million, will come from China EXIM Bank while the state government would offset the balance of 15 percent.
“The rail project would save our roads and improve movement of goods and services in Kano, which is the commercial nerve centre of Northern Nigeria, and parts of West Africa,” the governor said.
