Nigerians Not Happy With Decision To Build Railways To Niger Republic

The decision by Nigeria's Federal Executive Council to approve the construction of a rail line that will link the Niger Republic from Kano has has met a public outcry. 

Although the presidency has explained that the project will stop at the Niger's border, a cross section of the public including industry critics feel that it is a case of misplaced priority.

"This is clearly a case of misplaced priority. We have several parts of the country that have not been included in the railway extension plan despite the huge economic potentials that they have. 1.9 billion dollars will give us a standard gauge on the neglected eastern line. Nobody is talking about that". Rail structures specialist, Cephas Terfa commented.

One Udehem who commented on his twitter handle supports Terfa. He says "linking Nigeria to other landlocked countries is good idea but first, we need to fix the ones we have in Nigeria already, Port Harcourt to Maiduguri line and the proposed Lagos - Calabar  on Twitter

The Trade Union Congress (TUC) in a statement by it's President-General Comrade Quadri Olaleye and Secretary-General, Comrade Musa-Lawal Ozigi said the plan to construct a rail line to Niger Republic as an insult to Nigerians and waste of resources.

According to the TUC, this latest move shows that the leadership of the country have ulterior and sinister motives to ruin this country and wondered why the government would choose to invest a whooping 800 billion naira into a project that will not be of much to Nigerians compared to addressing the huge infrastructure deficit the nation has continued to suffer alongside other crushing economic and social deficiencies. 

Another Nigerian on his twitter handle, Destayo67 also queries what economic benefit Niger has to Nigeria. he recommends the government to develop a railway connecting Lagos to Aba which has better economic benefits.

"We have not connected the major cities in Nigeria via rail, we are planning to link Niger Republic." Another Nigerian observed.

Udehem pointed out on his twitter handle pointed out that "linking Nigeria to other landlocked countries is a good idea but first, we need to fix the ones we have in Nigeria already. the Port Harcourt to Maiduguri line and the Lagos to Calabar line are very important."  

Olajide Obe also reacted according to Daily Post online that, "We are yet to build rail lines from the Eatern industrial corridors of Aba, Nnewi and Onitsha to the Western industrial base and major market hubs-Ibadan, Agbara, Otta and Lagos but the Buhari led FG wants to build a railway to Niger Republic.

Another Nigerian, Juwon urged the federal government to fix the Lagos to Badagry Express Way that links five West African countries and  in shambles rather than go into the construction  of a line to Niger.

Transportation Minister, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi last Wednesday September 23, 2020 disclosed to newsmen  the Federal Executive Council's approval of a contract to build a rail line that would link Niger Republic and Dutse from Kano at a sum of $1,959,744,723.71. The rail line will start from Kano, passing through Dambatta, Kazaure, Daura, Mashi, Katsina, Jibia and terminate at Maradi in Niger.

Comrade Quadri Olaleye, and the Secretary-General, Comrade Musa-Lawal Ozigi, in Abuja,

Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2020/09/construction-of-rail-from-nigeria-to-niger-republic-an-insult-labour/described the move as an insult on Nigerians that also reveals that the leadership of the country have sinister and ulterior motives to ruin the natHonourable Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi disclosed after last Wednesday's Federal Executive Council meeting on September 23,2020 that approval have been given for the award of contract  for the "development of the proposed Kano-katsina-Jibia to Maradi rail line in Niger Republic and to Dutse, the capital of Jigawe state for a total cost of $1,959,744,723.71, inclusive of 7.5% VAT

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