At Last, the Port Harcourt-Maiduguri Line Get's Government Big Attentioon

  •  Plus: New Branch Lines to Owerri; Bonny;  Damaturu; and Gashua  
  • Cost of project is 3.02 Billion Dollars
  • Industrial Park and Bonny Deep Sea Port to be established to serve the railway

The North-East, North-Central, South-East and South-South people of Nigeria have not stopped rejoicing since the Honourable Minister of Transportation in Nigeria, Rotimi Amaechi announced the decision of the Federal Executive Council(FEC) to approve the award of contract for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the narrow gauge line on the from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri with new branch lines and transshipment facility. 

Amaechi, speaking to the press after last Wednesday's FEC meeting on October 7,2020 said the PH-Maiduguri line project will be at the cost of $3,020,279,549. According to the Minister, the Eastern Rail Line will have new branch lines: from Port Harcourt to Owerri, and from Port Harcourt to Bonny; and from Gombe or a station near Maiduguri to Damaturu and Gashua. He also said the standard gauge (Lagos-Kano) line will be connected from Kafanchan.

The approval for the rehabilitation of the Eastern axis railway came along side two other approvals: the award of contracts for the construction of a Railway Industrial Park and the Bonny Deep Port at the cost of $241,154,389.31 and $461,924,369 respectively. These projects "are at no cost to government", the minister said. 

The approval on Wednesday for the railway projects on the Eastern Railway Corridor, no doubt demonstrates the level of recognition the present administration has on the rail mode of transportation as a vital backbone to support industrialisation and economic development. 

It would be recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari said last Friday 30th September during the inauguration of the Ajaokuta-Itakpe-Warri Rail Line that he has "approved the priotisation of viable railway routes for either new lines or the reconstruction and the rehabilitation of some, to achieve effective and efficient train services, supporting the country's trade and commerce."

The big question is: how soon will these projects start? We can't wait! Nigerians are waiting.




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