By Myke Uzendu, Abuja
The Federal Government has concluded plans for a smooth take-off of freight services on the Lagos-Kano narrow gauge in June 2024, Kano-Daura in 2025, Daura to Maradi in 2026 and Dutse to Kano in 2026.
The Minister for Transportation, Sen Sa’idu Alkali made the disclosure over the weekend during an inspection tour of the Kano-Maradi rail corridor. He assured that freight services will commence in June, 2024 adding that the project will boost the nations’ Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
He said that at the Zawacikin axis, rail tracks have been linked the narrow gauge which is connected to the Dala dry inland port to bring freight and passengers from Lagos.
Alkali said that the project will reduce the cost of businesses and also reduce the menace of road traffic accident on the highways, adding that it will have multiplier effect on the GDP.
On the standard gauge project from Lagos to Maradi, the minister said it will be completed in phases with Kano-Daura to be completed in 2025.
He said, “We are going to segment the project by the grace of God. We are going to put Kano-Daura next year and Daura to Maradi in 2026 and Dutse to Kano in 2026″.
The inspection tour commenced in Kano, branched off to Kazaure and ended with the minister visiting and interacting with the pioneer students of the Nigerian university of Transportation Daura.
Speaking with journalists during the tour he said, “We came all the way from Kano, we drove on the formation that they did, they are doing the earthwork and the culvert and this is a station where they have started preparing the rail lines and the slippers, so that they will use their locomotive to convey the materials on the rail line.
On Security issue, he said that government is more prepared that ever with proactive measures. “That is why you see the workers even work up to midnight because they know their lives are safe.
“So, that is why we have to provide adequate security. So that we ensure seamless execution of the project,.
“We don’t have much challenges because the President is up and doing in terms of funding, you can see if with the government didn’t provide funds, the project wont progres.
“The last time I came, the yard wasn’t like this, and you can see the one in Dala too. We have just completed it. So hopefully by the grace of God, we don’t face serious challenges,” he said.“The contractors are doing well. What we saw the last we came is different from what we met today,” he said.
