Laraba MUREY
As paucity of funds continue to be linked to delay in executing and completing of the $1.2 billion Kaduna-Kano railway project,the federal government has hinted of it’s plans to seek alternative ways to fund the construction.
The minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, disclosed this, on Friday, in Kano State, while inspecting ongoing construction on the 204km standard gauge railway to Kaduna. This section is part of the 1343km Kano – Abuja railway project.
The minister, who explained that economic challenges faced by China’s government is the reason for slow release of finances, stressed that it will liaise with money lending institutions for funds to enable it complete the project by May, 2023.
Ameachi, also spoke on the benefits of completing the railway for traders and passengers,while expressing satisfaction on the progress of work on site.
He said, “because of the economic downturn. The Chinese are not funding the way they used to, till now we are yet to conclude on loans for this project, so we are funding it from the budget.
“We are putting pressure on all the necessary institutions that used to give us funds. And hopefully, before May we will be able to get enough funds to complete this project.”
In addition, that “We agree that if we fund them, they must complete the work. They must do what they agree that they will do. The conversation I had with them is that they must break this work into parts so that everybody will be working at the same time. If they do that I am sure that before May, 2023 we will have commercial activity on the track”
According to Ameachi, “the route will be used to convey both passengers and cargo. One of the most economic nerve centers in the country is Kano and Lagos.
“The economic activities that take place in Kano can be conveyed to Lagos viz a viz those who produce in Lagos can have their products conveyed to Kano. This will create jobs and the cost of land here will not be the same.”
“The two states likely to benefit from intra city rail transport are Rivers and Lagos states. The Lagos route terminates in Calabar, the Port Harcourt rail terminates in Maiduguri because the rail will take part of the city this way and part of the city that way same way with Rivers state”
That at a point Lagos-Calabar will have to meet with Port Harcourt railway and run side by side inside some part of these major cities, Amaechi said.”
