The Minister for Transportation, Rtd Hon, Rotimi Amaechi has explained the circumstances that led to the settlement of narrow guage for the reconstruction of the Eastern Rail line, from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri.
Amaechi who said economic considerations informed the decision, disclosed that two approvals were given but the Standard Gauge was costlier.
Addressing the 2020 edition of Annual Ministerial Press Briefing on land mark progrsmmes, projects and activities of the ministry and agencies in Abuja, the minister also disolosed that work will soon commence on four new rail lines of which ,contracts have been awarded.
They are Ibadan- Kano,Port Harcourt- Maiduguri, Kano-Maradi and Lagos- Calabar.
According to him,funds are being awaited from China for the construction of Ibadan- Kano Rail line, Port Harcourt- Maiduguri ,”We have a bit of the fund, but we are awaiting for the cabinet to approve. We are also about to start Kano-Maradi, and Lagos- Calabar rail lines” he said.
” But one thing that is unique in all these projects is that the President early enough in his governmentt directed that all lines must terminate at the Seaports.
” There is a bit of adjustment in the pricing because we had to adjust Kano-Maradi to link up to Kano-Lagos so that it will terminate at Lagos seaport.
” The Port Harcourt- Maiduguri is not only terminating at Port Harcourt seaport,but it is also going from Port Harcourt seaport to Bonny, where we are building a deep seaport”.he said.
He disclosed that the Ibadan double standard guage was nearing completion, adding that the Abuja- Kano and Warri- Itakpe standard guage had been completed and were operational.
Amaechi noted that the Itakpe- Warri Rail line had drastically reduced transport fare in that axis even as he decried the alleged incidences of sharp practices by ticket sellers on Abuja- Kaduna route.
He regretted some complaints that tickets of N2.500 were sometimes sold for N10,000 by racketeers warning that such actions could lead to security problem..
” We must match the tickets to face carrying the ticket so that we don’t run into security problem.Security is central,a man who may be a bomber may be given a ticket that is not meant for him and then we are in trouble.” he said.
