Federal Government flags off $3bn Eastern Railway Corridor

The Nigerian Government has flagged off the Eastern Rail Corridor.

The $3bn Eastern Narrow Guage Railway rehabilitation and reconstruction project, upon completion, will link no less than 14 States including the South Eastern States to the Maiduguri Rail line in North-eastern Nigeria.

President Muhammadu Buhari at the virtual flag-off of the project noted that, “the contract has the objective of resuscitating the once vibrant railway transportation in the eastern corridor of the country.’’

It is being executed by the Nigerian subsidiary of state-owned China Civil Engineering Construction Corp. (CCECC) as the main contractor.

Happening Now!! https://t.co/ZlD4HkuVqy

— Federal Ministry of Transportation (@MinTransportNG) March 9, 2021

Nigeria’s Minister for Transportation, Rotimi Amechi, at the ceremony said that the Federal Government is expected to provide about 15% of the $3 billion costs of the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the Port Harcourt-Maiduguri rail line while the outstanding balance will be coming from a syndicate of Chinese financiers.

The occasion had in attendance the Plateau State Governor, @PLSGov, Dr. Simon Lalong; the Yobe State Governor,  @GovtYobeState, Mai Mala Buni; Minister of Labour and Employment, @SenChrisNgige; Miniter of Niger Delta Affairs, Dr. Godswill Akpabio; and Minister of Information and Culture, @FMICNigeria, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, among others.

Amaka E. Nliam