Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi says work on Lagos- Calabar Rail line is to commence before the end of 2021.
Amaechi disclosed this on Friday in Calabar, while delivering the 34th Convocation lecture of the University of Calabar entitled: Beyond our Imperfect Union :the National Question and Nigeria’s future.
According to him, the President Muhammadu Buhari’s led adminitsration was committed to massive infrastructural development across the country, saying that the objective was to ease movement across the country and in the process,enhance national integration.
He said” In a few weeks from now, we are going to sign the loan agreement for the commencement of that project and before the end of the year,contractors will move to site.
Amaechi listed some of the Rail projects being embarked upon by the President Buhari’s administration which include Port Harcourt- Maiduguri rail line , Ibadan to Kano, and Abuja to Kaura Namoda adding” We are also reviewing the Lord Lugard railway line that has been out of effective service for decades”
The Minister also spoke on topical issues of concern by Nigerians such as restructuring, and regional autonomy explaining that the agitations were legitimate and expressed love and patriotism but said that the challenges could be addressed in a united Nigeria.
He said the most pressing issue in the country is the” increasing scourge of poverty and the threat of massive inequality.
” We must attack and conquer inequality and extreme poverty or the poor will overrun the country” he said.
Amaechi stated that the desperate poverty and inequality in the country predated the present dispensation adding that the issues had their roots in the return of civil riule and that it was unfair to heap blame on this or any other administration in the history of the country.
