The Rivers State Chapter of the
All Progressives Congress, APC, says with the feat achieved by Minister of
Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, President Muhammadu Buhari “now sleeps and
wakes up thinking about Railway system.”
APC in the state made the remark
while commending Buhari and Amaechi for the attention given to rail-way
projects across the country.
A statement issued on Tuesday by
the Chairman of the state arm of the party, Davies Ikanya also renamed Amaechi
“Mr Railway of Nigeria” for his efforts so far in moving the sector forward.
Ikanya reasoned that if the plan
by Amaechi to link all the State capitals in Nigeria with rail lines was not a
revolution, then Nigerians should educate APC on what revolution was all about?
He insisted that the former
governor of the state had proved that he was not only a patriotic Nigerian but
a leader whose leadership acumen was tested and well proven.
The statement reads, “A contract
agreement worth US$11.117bn for the construction of the Lagos-Calabar coastal
railway line in Nigeria have been concluded and awarded to China Civil
Engineering Construction Company (CCECC) to cover Port-Harcourt, Calabar, uyo
and Aba and expected to be ready within 2 years.
“Additionally, when completed,
the proposed coastal railway line in Nigeria will link all sea ports. The
project is also expected to create business hubs meant for commercial
activities.
“Knowing Amaechi and his prudent
management of public funds, this project initially awarded at a cost of
US$11.917bn by the administration of Dr Goodluck Jonathan was negotiated down
to US$11.117bn thereby saving millions of Naira for our country.
“Nigeria’s first high speed rails
system of 186.5 km standard gauge track built by the China Railway Construction
Corporation with double lines, which connects federal capital territory Abuja
and northern commercial capital Kaduna had began commercial operations as
President Muhammadu Buhari inaugurated operation on July 27, 2017.
“The Abuja-Kaduna route with nine
stations and travelling capacity of 150km per hour with standard gauge rail
lines covering a travelling distance of over 3,421 kilometres when completed
would pass through Lagos, Oyo, Osun, Ogun, Benin, Abuja, Kogi, Onitsha and
Sokoto, among other states.
“The Federal Government would
soon take delivery of 17 new coaches and locomotives between now and December
to boost rail transportation across the country of which 10 of the locomotives
are meant for Abuja- Kaduna rail lines while the remaining seven would go to
Itakpe – Warri rail project, which would be ready by June 2018.
“Plans are in top gear by the
federal government to construct 10 new standard gauge rail lines across the
country even as some new coaches had arrived the country.
“The 10 new standard gauge rail
routes where feasibility studies were being carried out are as follow: The
300km Lagos-Sagamu-Ijebu Ode-Ore-Benin City East-West rail line;
Lagos-Ibadan-Osogbo-Baro-Abuja high speed 615km line; Ajaokuta
(Eganyin)-Obajana-Jakura-Baro-Siraj-Abuja rail; Additional line from Ajaokuta
to Otukpo (533km); and the 520km Zaria-Kaura Namoda-Sokoto-Ileila-Birnin Koni
in Niger Republic.
“Others are the
Benin-Agbor-Onitsha-Nnewi-Owerri-Aba rail with additional line from
Onitsha-Enugu-Abakaliki, 500km; Eganyin (near Ajaokuta)-Lokoja-Abaji-Abuja,
280km; Benin-Sapele-Warri-Yenagoa-Port
Harcourt-Aba-Uyo-Calabar-Akampa-Ikom-Obudu Cattle Ranch coastal rail line,
673km; Port
Harcourt-Aba-Umuahia-Enugu-Makurdi-Lafia-Kuru-Bauchi-Gombe-Biu-Maiduguri line;
Ikom-Obudu-Ogoja-Katsina Ala-Wukari-Jalingo-Yola-Maiduguri line and
Kano-Nguru-Gusau-Damaturu-Maiduguri-Gamborugala rail line.
“Other railway revolutionary
projects include the proposed Kano – Maradi (Niger Republic) rail project. The
construction and rehabilitation of the Itakpe-Ajaokuta-Warri standard gauge
line project that is nearing completion.
“We may recall that the
groundbreaking for the construction of Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge (double
track) 2 x 180km rail line project, awarded to the China Civil Engineering
Construction Company (CCECC), was done earlier this year and work had commenced
on the site following the conclusion of its funding arrangement as arrangement
are completed to complete the rehabilitation of the Western and Eastern lines,
carry out addendum for sidings and loop lines on the Western line, procure and
rehabilitate locomotives and rolling stock, as well as for the procurement of
maintenance equipment.
“The Federal Government is making
efforts to source for about 16 billion dollars that is needed to actualise some
of the Federal Government’s plans for the railway sector, especially the
construction of two deep seaports in Bonny, Rivers State and Warri, Delta
State, as well as the Port Harcourt Railway Industrial Park.
“These concerted efforts to fix
the railways will ease transportation of persons and goods across the country
secure our major roads and save lives usually lost on most of our high ways.
“With all these feats, which
leader will not be happy with his performing Minister as President Buhari now
sleeps and wakes up thinking about Railway system?
“We commend and congratulate Mr.
President for all his supports that enabled Mr. Railway to achieve this much in
less than two years in office.
“Truly, APC is performing, Rt Hon
Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi is working, Buhari is delivering, Nigeria is changing.”
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