By Gbenga Abulude
The Federal Government on Wednesday approved the award of contracts for the rebuilding of the Port Harcourt-Maiduguri eastern narrow gauge rail line, which will have “new branch lines and trans-shipment facilities”.
The Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, said this when he briefed newsmen after the 18th Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the meeting was presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Amaechi also revealed that FG approved the construction of a new deep seaport in Bonny, under Private-Public- Partnership (PPP) programme and the construction of a railway Industrial park in Port Harcourt.
“The Federal Executive Council today, approved the award of contract for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the Port Harcourt to Maiduguri Eastern Narrow Gauge Railway, with new branch lines and trans-shipment facilities.
“It also approved the construction of a deep seaport in Bonny under PPP and construction of a railway industrial park in Port Harcourt.
“The railway line will be at the cost of $3,020,279,549. The industrial park, which is under PPP, at no cost to federal government, will cost $241,154,389.31.
“The Bonny deep seaport will cost $461,924,369, at no cost to the federal government.
“The Port Harcourt to Maiduguri narrow gauge railway will have new branch lines: from Port Harcourt to Bonny and from Port Harcourt to Owerri are new lines.
“There is another connecting to narrow gauge to standard guage at Kafanchan.
“There is a branch line from Gombe or before Maiduguri to Damaturu and Gashua. That’s what has been approved,’’ he said.
