Rotimi Ameachi, minister of transportation, says the $1.2
billion Kaduna-Kano standard gauge rail project will be flagged off in two
weeks.
Ameachi announced this during a ministerial media briefing
organised by the presidential communications team in Abuja on Friday.
The federal government approved the Kaduna-Kano railway
project in January 2017.
Ameachi had said the federal government will borrow less
than N100 billion for the project.
He said while awaiting the Chinese government’s loan,
one-third of the project will be funded from the federal government’s budget.
At the briefing, Ameachi said the federal government has
committed $280 million to the project and will soon provide a further $100
million.
He also said the federal government and China have signed an
agreement for the construction of a rail component manufacturing factory in
Kajola, Ogun state due to be inaugurated this year.
On the issue of vandalism of railway equipment, he said it
could cause train derailment as well as kill passengers, adding that the act is
also causing the country sums of money in foreign currency to replace.
The minister said applying stringent laws will curb the
menace, he therefore proposed that anyone caught in the act should be charged
with manslaughter.
Ameachu further said 300 Nigerians have been sponsored to
understudy rail technology in China and will be absorbed into the ministry of
transportation upon completion of their study.
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