Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi says the Federal Government’s focus on railway and seaport development is a necessity to drive the nation’s economy.
Amaechi spoke on Sunday at the virtual 15th Annual Kaleidoscope Global Business Conference hosted by the Consulate General of Nigeria in New York, the United States of America.
“Many Nigerians have asked why the construction of railways? Eighty per cent of the cargoes we have in Nigeria are mostly imported, because the Nigerian economy is yet to generate enough production.
“However, the President is of the view that if we must produce, we must have infrastructure that enables that production, hence the focus on transportation, power and works,” he said.
The minister said although the railway project had started before President Muhammadu Buhari, the nation’s seaports were not included in the design.
He said one of the first things the administration did was to rework the plan to link the rail network to seaports across the country.
“So, we started with the Apapa seaport. We are working there now and I believe by December, we should conclude the Lagos-Ibadan rail line extension into the port.
“We then added the Warri Seaport, the Calabar seaport and Tin Can Island. We are making sure that all of them include seaports,” Amaechi said.
According to him, contract for the 386-kilometre rail line from Kano to Maradi in the Republic of Niger will be awarded on Wednesday.
He added that the contract award for the 1,500-kilometre Eastern rail line, from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri, will follow on September 30.
The minister highlighted other rail line projects in the country, including Abuja to Itakpe, and Itakpe to Warri, which he said had been completed.
