The Federal
Government has secured $7.5 billion loan for the construction of standard rail
gauge from Lagos to Kano, an official has said.
The $7.5
billion is part of the $30 billion loan the federal government seeks to take
and for which it has sought approval from the National Assembly.
The Minister
of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, on Monday provided details of the rail
project at the North Central Town Hall meeting held in Ilorin for the people
of Kogi, Niger and Kwara states.
According to
him, the loan was secured from a Chinese bank and the ministry is waiting for
approval of the National Assembly to access the loan.
He said that
$1. 4 billion of the loan was for the construction of the rail gauge from Lagos
to Ibadan, while $6. 1 billion would be used on Ibadan–Ilorin–Minna-Kaduna–
Kano line.
The minister
added that Kaura Namoda–Funtua rail line would also be revived.
He,
therefore, urged Nigerians to impress it on the National Assembly to approve
the loan for work on the project to commence.
He added
that the central rail project from Itakpe to Warri would be completed before
the end of 2017, while narrow gauge line from Ilorin–Minna would also commence
during the year.
Mr. Amaechi
said plans were under way to connect Abuja to other parts of the country
through the central line at Warri, while the Jos Inland Port would be completed
in June, this year.
He said that
a Lagos-Ijebu-Ode-Ore-Benin-Asaba-Agbor-Onisha-Sapele-Yenagoa-Port Harcourt-Uyo
and Calabar coastal rail line would be constructed.
He said that
work on the Eastern rail flank linking Aba to Port Harcourt, Makurdi, Enugu and
Jos, would commence in June.
The minister
said that Ekiti would be linked by rail through Osogbo and would run to Ilorin,
Minna and Kano.
He also said
that the ministry had sought approval to purchase more coaches and locomotives
for the Abuja-Kaduna light rail.
He
reiterated the determination of the Federal Government to rehabilitate the
Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport in Abuja.
According to
him, the runway was built to last 20 years and has lasted 35 years and it is
dangerous to allow planes to land there without putting things in good shape.
Mr. Amaechi
said the All Progressives Congress, APC, controlled Federal Government did not
promise to fix Nigeria’s problem within a year.
He said that
the people should wait till the end of four years before they could assess the
government.
“We did not
promise you that those challenges will be solved in one year; if we promised
you that, you would have given us one year.
“You gave us
your mandate for four years, so you have to wait till the end of four years,”
he said.
He accused
the National Assembly of holding the Federal Government back from fixing
infrastructure problems and creating jobs by failing to approve its borrowing
plans.
According to
him, if accessed, the loan will enable the government to embark on the
revitalization of rail projects which will create more jobs for Nigerians.
On her part,
the Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, put the
inflation rate at 18 per cent.
She advised
Nigerians to reduce their over-dependence on imported goods as a way of
bringing down the high rate of foreign exchange.
According to
Ms. Ahmed, it is necessary for the people to shun imported foods like wheat and
patronise locally grown rice.
In his remarks,
Governor of Kwara, Abdulfatah Ahmed, called for synergy between the states and
Federal Government to fix infrastructure.
According to
him, the issue of decayed infrastructure was of great concern to those in the
region.
The meeting
was attended by stakeholders, including traditional rulers, labour leaders,
students, women societies, artisans and association of persons with disability.
(Premium
Times)
No comments:
Post a Comment