The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has said the Lagos-Kano rail line as well as the Lagos-Port Harcourt standard gauge will start running before the end of 2017.
He explained that the rail projects, when completed, would largely ease transportation of goods, save cost, time and guarantee safety of goods.
Amaechi also said that the Kaduna Inland Container Depot, which is the first of its kind in Nigeria, would soon be inaugurated.
The minister, who spoke on Tuesday during a facility tour of the Kaduna inland dry depot, noted that plans were underway to procure additional 20 locomotives for cargo services from Lagos to Kano and from Lagos to Port Harcourt rail lines.
He said the vision of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration was to establish a safe and efficient transport system that would boost economic activities across the country.
Amaechi, who inspected the port in company with the Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, added that the project was designed to decongest the seaports and bring shipping and port services closer to the hinterlands.
The former Rivers State governor explained that the government’s objectives were to make the facility an international port, serving as a take-off point and final destination, as well as an avenue for creating employment.
He said, “We are doing everything possible to create jobs and whatever the Federal Government needs to do to get the port running will be done. The rail line will soon start running before the end of the year, which will be used to deliver goods at the port.
“Everything is set because we have the land, warehouse and other things, but we want to wait for the completion of the road leading to the port. We want to wait for more activities in the dry port before we get the President to inaugurate it.
“I have visited Jos (Plateau State) and they are doing a good job and they promised that it will be ready by June. I have visited Kaduna and what I have seen is commendable.”
The minister commended the efforts of the Kaduna State Government towards the project and sought its contribution in ensuring that the road was in good state.
In his remarks, el-Rufai stated that the project was inherited from the previous administration and assured the minister that the state government would provide the necessary infrastructure needed to see to the effective take-off of the port.
He promised that the road would be fixed to create more exits and avoid possible congestion usually experienced at the Apapa Port, Lagos State.
Speaking earlier, the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Mr. Hassan Bello, had commended the state and the federal governments for their partnership on the project.
