Port Harcourt-Maiduguri rail project, 2 others to commence next year – FG

The federal government says it will commence the reconstruction and rehabiliation of Port-Harcourt-Maiduguri eastern narrow gauge railway next year.

The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, disclosed on Friday during budget defence session organised by the the National Assembly joint committees on transportation.

• Lagos-Ibadan rail: FG to build overhead, ground route
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He also listed the construction of Itakpe-Abuja-Warri central railway and the 378km single track standard gauge rail line traversing Kano-Katsina-Jibiya to a border town of Maradi in Niger Republic as part of the government’s priority projects to commence in 2021.

Amaechi said the projects, already approved by Bureau of Public Procurement and Federal Executive Council, were part of priority of the federal government to achieve intermodal transportation to enhance economic growth.

In the ministry’s total capital expenditure of N205 billion, Amaechi said land transport will get N204 billion and Marine, N845 million.

He said the proposal was to make significant progress on all ongoing projects and to complete and deliver modern railway services for the country.

Amaechi said the construction of Lagos-Ibadan Standard Gauge line had reached 92 per cent project completion.

He, however, said extra works amounting to 656 million dollars were needed to be done for the project to attain practical completion.

“Therefore, in order not to forestall the progress of implementation, adequate fund needs to be provided in the 2021 budget proposal to facilitate the completion of the project,” he added.

In his remarks, Hon. Tajudeen Abass, Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Land Transport, requested additional time to consider the budget proposal for the Ministry owing to the delay in the submission of the document.