New Telegraph

Don’t see rail projects as campaign tool for 2023 – FG

rotimi amaechi ameachi

 

Chukwu David, Abuja

The Federal Government has said that the vigour by which it was pushing to connect the country through its radical ongoing rail projects should not be misconstrued as a ploy to sway Nigerians ahead of the 2023 general elections.

According to a statement Saturday, by Eric Ojiekwe Director, Press & PR, Federal Ministry of Transportation, the Minister of Transportation, Mr. Chibuike Amaechi, stated this, when he visited the ongoing construction corridor of the Kano-Kaduna rail project, in Yako Area Council of Kuri Local Government Area, Kano State.

“I have told people, don’t politicize railway project; don’t make it look as if there are political motives behind the construction. As a government, we are determined to deliver on projects once the resources are there,” he said

On the issue of compensation, he said that all affected lands belonging to individuals or otherwise had been been fully settled, noting that the first item on the implementation strategy for the 206 km project was provision for complete compensation.

He challenged anyone that had not been fully settled to write to the ministry.

On the reason for the inspection, Amaechi said: “We are here basically to find out whether Messrs. China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC), has commenced work and how far they have gone because they have a target of completing this at the end of next year (2022) or in the first quarter of the other year (2023)”

The minister stated further that the initial project design and cost for the Kano-Kaduna rail project to Federal Executive Council was for the construction of a single track but it directed it should be double track as is the case with Lagos-Ibadan.

He also visited the site for the University of Transportation in Daura, Katsina State where the CCECC was embarking on a $50 million learning citadel to provide value chain and backbone for the ongoing rail projects across the country when completed.

However, Amaechi was disappointed at the level of work which was divided into phases one and two, comprising a few buildings instead of delivering the whole buildings as was agreed.

Read Previous

Turkey jacks up electricity, gas prices for New Year

Read Next

Violence against women insults God, pope says in New Year’s speech

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *