President Muhammadu Buhari has approved a rail line from Kano to his hometown in Daura, Jibia local government areas of Katsina state.
This was disclosed by Rotimi Ameachi, the minister of transportation, at The Osasu Show Symposium — which bothers on the economy and its effects on the less privileged — in Abuja on Friday.
According to Ameachi, the president also approved rail lines from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri, Kano to Maiduguri, Makurdi to Jos, Gombe to Yobe to Borno, Jigawa to Niger Republic.
Amaechi said the transportation infrastructure in Nigeria has been mismanaged for many years, and so much has to be done to restore the railway activities, and drive the economy.
“GE came here and annouced that they would give us 100 locomotives, we did the audit of our; our narrow gauge can’t carry 17 locomotives, so by October 1st to October 2nd, we would be lauching about six to ten locomotives, because our narrow gauage cant carry more than that,” Amaechi said.
“Government said concession this narrow guage, and we have successfully done that to the extent that we are able to sign an agreement with GE. By October GE will take over the narrow guage and begin to run from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri.
“When they stop at Umuahia, economic activities will be at Umuahia; the Umuahia station will become an economic hub. We the Ibos in Umuahia will be able to establish shops and sell goods we would like sell.
“That station from Port Harcourt to Aba, Aba to Umuahia, Umuahia to Enugu, Enugu to Makurdi, Makurdi to Jos, Jos to Bauchi, Bauchi to Gombe, Gombe to Borno.”
