Nigeria federal government has announced it will commence the construction of a standard gauge rail line from Lagos to Ibadan next month.
Fidet Okheria, the managing director, Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) who made this disclosure over the weekend said: “The Chinese government promises that by the end of the month to release its counterpart funds. And the project should, therefore, start in the next one month.”
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The project, which has been awarded to the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation, is being jointly funded by the Nigerian and Chinese governments, and will gulp about $1.5bn (N458bn).
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According to him, the new Lagos-Ibadan rail, spanning 156.65 kilometres, is a double line, which is the first phase of a new Lagos-Kano standard gauge line.
The new line, when completed in 18 months, would coexist with the old narrow gauge rail line, Okheria said.
Okheria said the arrangements were being finalised to start the construction of the Lagos-Calabar and
Rotimi Amaechi, the minister of transportation, who signed on behalf of the Federal Government, had said the cost reduction for the projects was achieved after the contract was renegotiated by both parties.
Amaechi also said the projects should be completed in two years, adding that the railways would be connected to the seaports.
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The minister said the the Lagos-Calabar rail line, would “commence the construction of the first segment with Calabar-Uyo and Aba-Port Harcourt, and this will include all the seaports on this route. But the entire contract covers Calabar, Uyo, Port Harcourt, Yenogoa, Otuoke, Ughelli, Warri, Benin, Agbor, Asaba, Onitsha and back to Benin, Ore, Sagamu and Lagos.”
360naze
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