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| The Honourable Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi |
The Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, said the federal
government has approved the construction for Warri seaport at the cost of about
3.9 billion dollars and also awarded contract for Abuja-Warri rail line.
government has approved the construction for Warri seaport at the cost of about
3.9 billion dollars and also awarded contract for Abuja-Warri rail line.
Amaechi said on Tuesday in Abuja that
government also approved the linking of Abuja to Itakpe, Itakpe-Warri, then
from Warri rail to the seaport.
“The President awarded the contract for Abuja to Warri, Abuja to Itakpe,
then to Warri. From Warri rail to the seaport. We are building a new seaport in
Warri, the cabinet approved it last week, that is about 3.9 billion dollars,”
he said.
then to Warri. From Warri rail to the seaport. We are building a new seaport in
Warri, the cabinet approved it last week, that is about 3.9 billion dollars,”
he said.
He however said that about 45 billion dollars was needed to complete
rail development in the country.
rail development in the country.
He said that once Lagos-Kano, Port Harcourt-Maiduguri, Lagos-Calabar and
Abuja-Warri rail lines were constructed, the rail would have covered the
country.
Abuja-Warri rail lines were constructed, the rail would have covered the
country.
According to him, government has not spent over 3 billion dollars so far
on all the ongoing projects.
on all the ongoing projects.
“The Lagos-Ibadan will cost about 1.6 billion dollars, that doesn’t
include the extra cost of things we didn’t prepare for or see in the
evaluation; Abuja-Kaduna was constructed with about a billion dollars.
include the extra cost of things we didn’t prepare for or see in the
evaluation; Abuja-Kaduna was constructed with about a billion dollars.
“We also paid 500 million dollars to buy locomotives and rolling stocks
for Lagos-Ibadan, I can’t remember how much we spent buying rolling stocks for
Kaduna-Abuja, that is what we have spent so far.
for Lagos-Ibadan, I can’t remember how much we spent buying rolling stocks for
Kaduna-Abuja, that is what we have spent so far.
“So all the noise that you hear people saying we have spent 8 point
something billion dollars is not true. I don’t think we have spent up to three
billion dollars so far. Railway is capital intensive, a trillion Naira is about
2.7 billion dollars.
something billion dollars is not true. I don’t think we have spent up to three
billion dollars so far. Railway is capital intensive, a trillion Naira is about
2.7 billion dollars.
“And that is for 200km of
railway, if you plan to do Lagos-Ibadan and you are looking at 8.7billion
dollars that is between 3 and 4 trillion Naira. That is why I said we will need
about 35 to 45 billion dollars.
railway, if you plan to do Lagos-Ibadan and you are looking at 8.7billion
dollars that is between 3 and 4 trillion Naira. That is why I said we will need
about 35 to 45 billion dollars.
“To be able to do
Lagos-Kano, Port harcourt-Maduguri, Lagos-Calabar and Abuja-Warri, once we do
this four tracks, we have covered the country and we have solved the problems
of transportation to a great extent.” (NAN)
Lagos-Kano, Port harcourt-Maduguri, Lagos-Calabar and Abuja-Warri, once we do
this four tracks, we have covered the country and we have solved the problems
of transportation to a great extent.” (NAN)
