FG to Start Port Harcourt-Maiduguri Rail Project

• FG to Start Port Harcourt-Maiduguri Rail Project

The Federal Government has commenced negotiations for the construction of Port Harcourt-Maiduguri rail project, Rotimi Amaechi, the Minister of Transportation, stated.

The minister said the project would stretch from Rivers to Borno State and currently being discussed by the Chinese government and Nigerian government.

Amaechi said the rail line will pass through Abia, Imo, Enugu, Ebonyi, Anambra, Benue, Nasarawa, Rivers, Plateau, Bauchi, Gombe and Yobe.

In a statement issued by the Federal Ministry of Transportation on Tuesday in Abuja, Amaechi said: “The six geo-political zones are all covered. Port Harcourt-Maiduguri covers Port Harcourt, Aba, Owerri, Umuahia, Enugu, Abakaliki, Awka, Markurdi, Lafia, Akwanga, Jos, Bauchi, Gombe and connects to Yobe, Damaturu and then Maiduguri.

“The Lagos-Calabar line is for the whole of the South-South. We have Lagos coming through Akure, Benin and then from Benin we have a spot leading to Agbor and Asaba and to Onitsha.

“It then continues to Ughelii, Warri, Yenagoa, Port Harcourt, Aba, Uyo and Calabar. That takes care of the South-South, while Port Harcourt-Maiduguri takes care of the South-East and the North-East.”

Amaechi explained that because the projects were capital intensive, the government had planned it to cover all the regions.

“The Lagos-Kano line takes care of the South-West and part of the North-West and North-Central. The central line that starts from Abuja takes care of the North-Central, Kogi and Kwara. All of these projects require money,” Ameachi stated.

He added, “If we can’t get money enough for the new ones, we can as well borrow money to rehabilitate the old ones.”

According to the minister, Nigeria now operates over 600km functioning rail lines.