About seven years after its
commencement, the first phase of the Abuja-Kaduna Standards Rail Gauge was
commissioned by President Muhammadu Buhari, with a pledge to ensuring that the
country has a working rail system.
Towards this end, his administration
would pursue a 25-Year Strategic Railway Master Plan which is aimed at
rehabilitating the existing 3,505km narrow gauge rail line as well as
constructing new standard gauge rail lines across the country.
Though conceptualised by the
administration of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo in 2006, the actual execution of the
project started in 2009 under the regime of the administration of Dr. Goodluck
Ebele Jonathan. Buhari said the completion and commissioning of the project
marked a major milestone in the annals of the country.
According to Buhari, “The
construction of the Abuja-Kaduna Standard Gauge rail track commenced in 2009
and happily, seven years after, we are on the threshold of presenting to
Nigerians a Standard Gauge Railway Train Service that will be safe, fast and
reliable.
“The train service will provide the
much needed alternative transport link between the Federal Capital Territory
and Kaduna State, a corridor which has a huge potential for industries,
agricultural activities, and a growing labour force.
“This project was conceived by a
previous administration, started by the last government and I am pleased to
complete and commission it.”
The President recalled that between
1963 and early 1980s, Nigeria had a vibrant rail system which conveyed
agricultural, livestock and solid mineral resources to Lagos and Port Harcourt
sea ports from where they were exported.
“It is our vision and hope that
those good old days will soon be back with us and indeed in a more prosperous
way with the restoration of rail transport system which today’s occasion,” he
said.
He commended the Minister of
Transportation Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi and his team to have put great efforts
in the last few months towards ensuring the successful completion of this
project under the present administration.
Buhari noted that the commissioning
of the project was in line with the vision of bringing about the desired change
to make life easier for the generality of Nigerians through the development and
provision of the necessary social and physical infrastructure.
“In this regard, I wish to assure
Nigerians that most State capitals and major commercial and production centres
will be linked with railway system as a way of bringing about rapid
socio-economic development and improving the quality of life of the Nigerians
and promoting social and regional integration.
“Furthermore, I wish to also
reassure Nigerians that due attention will be placed on pursuing the 25-Year
Strategic Railway Master Plan which is aimed at rehabilitating the existing
3,505km narrow gauge rail line and developing and constructing new standard
gauge rail lines across the country.
“As we celebrate the symbolic return
of rail service today I wish to reiterate the commitment of this Administration
to pursue with greater vigour and determination rehabilitation and construction
of other rail lines including the major Lagos-Calabar and Kano-Lagos lines.
“As we get down to work, I look
forward to flagging off many more lines outlined in our transport policy
programme.” Buhari said.
Former FCT Minister and Governor of
Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, under whom the project was initiated lamented
that the project which was intended to be completed in only four years had to
be abandoned because the subsequent governments were not interested in it.
He said it was regrettable that only
a portion of the project that was to cost N8 billion was commissioned 10 years
down the line. But he commended President Buhari for buying into the vision of
the Obasanjo administration in providing a cheaper and more affordable means of
transportation to the teeming Nigerian population by revisiting the project.
FCT Minister, Muhammad Musa Bello,
in his welcome remarks, said the completion and commissioning of the project
would mark a complete turnaround in the economic lives of residents of the
Territory, who are the immediate beneficiary of the project.
The minister assured that the Abuja
intercity rail project being executed by the FCT was 77 percent completed,
assuring that by December 2017, the project would be completed and
commissioned.
SOURCE: The Guardian
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