The Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, has provided further insight into why the Federal Government approved a rail line to Daura, the hometown of President Muhammadu Buhari in Katsina State, saying it is to connect the country with her landlocked neighbours.
He stated that government realized Nigeria’s landlocked neighbours like Niger Republic, import through Ghana, Togo and even Benin Republic because of absence of rail line connecting their areas.
Speaking with journalists after the monthly project steering committee meeting on the $1.5bn Lagos-Ibadan rail project, he said the project would address the competition.
Amaechi decried the misgivings generated by the approval of the rail line to Daura, saying the line would not stop at Daura.
He said, “We realised that we had competitors from our land-locked neighbours, competitors like Ghana, Togo and even Benin Republic. These landlocked neighbours are importing through these countries because we don’t have rail lines that go to them. So to address this situation, Mr President approved a rail line that will go to Maradi in Niger. But that rail line which will come from Kano to Maradi in Niger must pass through some cities. So the rail line passes through Kazaure and then Daura before proceeding to Jibya and then Maradi. Is it that when the rail line gets to Kazuare, it jumps into the air over Daura? No, it has to pass through Daura to get to Jibiya and Maradi. It’s quite unfortunate that people read meanings to a rail line going to Daura. This rail line addresses the competition we have with Ghana and Togo for our landlocked neighbours. So we can now tell our landlocked neighbours that we can take their goods and services from our ports in Lagos to their country.
He also disclosed that the President has approved the procurement of 17 locomotives for the Kaduna-Abuja rail line to accommodate the surging passengers.
“Mr President has approved that we buy more locomotives and coaches. We have placed order for 17 coaches. Two have already been retrieved. By December, ten more will be received, and they will all be deployed to Kaduna-Abuja rail services.”
