The Nigerian Government has promised to kick start the Kano-Kaduna, Port Harcourt-Maiduguri and Kano-maradi railway projects.
Minister of Transportation,Rotimi Amaechi disclosed this at the Commissioning Ceremony and flag -off of the Lagos- Ibadan Standard Rail Guage project in Lagos State, South-West, Nigeria.
Amaechi commended President Muhammadu Buhari for being courageous to take loan from China Exim bank for the project.
He said that the impact the project would have on the economy; the goods and services and personnel would move in record time.
“While we are celebrating that, we are not too happy that uptill now the China Exim bank is yet to approve the loan for Ibadan-Kano because we need to start that and complete it quickly,” he said.
He eulogised the Chinese government through the China Exim bank for giving the loan at a concessionary rate.
Amaechi said; “We hope that we get money to be able to construct from ibadan to kano so that we can complete the track and make sure that business takes place.”
The Managing Director, Nigerian Railway Corporation, Fidet Okhiria said the project faced many challenges in the course of its execution and delivery.
Okhiria attributed the successful completion of the project to full support, steadfastness and encouragement of President Buhari and the Transportation Minister, Rotimi Amaechi who has been the workaholic and rail line revivalist.
The 157Kilometers Lagos-Ibadan railway project which gulped $1.5b began in 2017, was contracted to The China Civil Engineering and Construction Corporation, CCECC.
