Work begins on Abuja-Lokoja rail next year – Amaechi – Newstrends
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Work begins on Abuja-Lokoja rail next year – Amaechi

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  • Govt negotiating loan for Lagos-Calabar rail project

Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has said the Itakpe-Lokoja-Abuja railway project which will connect the new Warri port, will commence in 2021.

Amaechi, who stated this said at the 2021 budget defence in Abuja, said the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government remained committed to connecting different parts of the country with rail, to ease the burden of transportation.

The minister added that the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt-Maiduguri eastern narrow gauge, the deep-sea port in Bonny and railway industrial park in Port Harcourt were also part of the project for next year.

“The reconstruction and rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt-Maiduguri eastern narrow gauge railway, construction of new branch lines and trans-shipment centres for future railway development connecting with this corridor is very important.

“This project is also integrated with a deep-sea port in Bonny and railway industrial park in Port Harcourt being developed through direct investment by the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation, CCECC partnering with Chinese financiers.”

Amaechi noted that the “construction of the central railway from Itakpe to Abuja, connecting a new Warri port, construction of a 378km single track standard gauge rail line traversing Kano-Katsina-Jibiya with a 20km extension to the commercial border town of Maradi in Niger Republic are projects proposed for 2021.”

According to him, the problem with the coastal rail lines like other projects is the paucity of funds, adding that the Ministry of Finance is negotiating a loan to fund the Kano-Maradi, Lagos-Calabar and Port Harcourt-Maiduguri railway projects.

Amaechi further said extra work on the Lagos-Ibadan corridor, amounting to $656m (funded by the Federal Government), had commenced.

According to him, the extra work included the construction of upgraded railway stations, signaling and telecommunication system, power supply scheme and construction of pedestrian and overpass bridges.

“This additional and extra work, amounting to $656m which is to be financed 100 per cent by the Federal Government has been approved by the Federal Executive Council for implementation.

“The project contractor, Messrs CCECC Nigeria Limited, on the instruction of the ministry has commenced work and reached an advanced stage. Therefore, in order not to forestall the progress of implementation,  adequate fund needs to be provided in the 2021 budget proposal to facilitate the completion of the project,” he added.

Amaechi further said that for the implementation of Ibadan-Kano railway project, one of the conditions precedent to signing of the loan agreement, was to release an advance payment of $864m, saying government had so far made a part payment of $218.7m.

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NRC, APM Terminals seal Lagos-Ibadan cargo movement pact 

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L-R: Director of Operations, Nigerian Railway Corporation, Akin Osinowo; APMT CEO, Mr Frederik Klinke; MD, Nigerian Railway Corporation, Dr Kayode Opeifa, and the CCO, APMT Nigeria, Mrs Caroline Aubert-Adewuyi.

NRC, APM Terminals seal Lagos-Ibadan cargo movement pact 

 

The Nigerian Railway Corporation has concluded arrangement with the management of APM Terminals to commence the expansion of cargo movement from Apapa port, Lagos, to the NRC freight yard in Moniya, Ibadan, Oyo State.

This was disclosed after a meeting between the Managing Director of the NRC, Dr. Kayode Opeifa, and the APM Terminals team led by its CEO, Mr Frederik Klinke,

NRC Director of Operation, Mr Akin Osinowo, and CCO APM Terminals Nigeria, Mrs Caroline Aubert-Adewuyi, also attended the meeting.

Klinke highlighted the strategic advantage of Nigeria being surrounded by a number of landlocked neighbouring countries, creating an opportunity to serve as a hub for importation of containerized goods.

APMT assured NRC of greater efficiency in turnaround of cargo at the port and expansion of the use of rail for cargo evacuation and export through APM Terminals.

He reiterated APMT’s position as the foremost transporter of container freight in the country and a major partner to the NRC.

The MD of NRC expressed appreciation for APM Terminal’s close partnership with NRC for decades.

He stated that the collaboration would be of tremendous benefit to both parties.

“We are going to work for the satisfaction of not only the APMT but all customers who intend to do business with Railways.”

The MD said like he reiterated in his maiden speech at the assumption of office, “prioritizing customers’ satisfaction by improving customer experience and ensuring that our services are reliable, efficient, safe and sustainable” remain cardinal to him.

He added that all key stakeholders including the media, would be deployed extensively to encourage people towards greater use of the rail system.

This, he stressed, would invariably translate into drastically reducing the cost of goods and services.

It would also increase the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by providing food security, which is in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, he stated.

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Railway workers unions pledge to work with new MD Opeifa

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Railway workers unions pledge to work with new MD Opeifa

 

The two labour unions at the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) say they are prepared to work with the new Managing Director of the corporation, Dr Kayode Opeifa, to achieve the mandate of President Bola Tinubu for the rail sector.

Leaders of the Nigeria Union of Railway workers (NUR) and Senior Staff Association (SSA) met with the NRC management in Lagos.

Opeifa, who disclosed this to newsmen on Wednesday, said the labour leaders passed the resolution after the meeting with the management on Monday, where all their grievances were tabled for discussion.

The MD described the maiden meeting with the workers’ leaders as “productive with mutual understanding of all issues raised”.

He stated that while some matters raised by the unions were assigned for further discussion at directorate level, others such as the medical personnel allowance, were instantly resolved.

He said, “The unions have reaffirmed their commitment to collaborate with the management and provide all necessary support to ensure that train services operate at maximum efficiency, contributing to the growth of rail services in Nigeria as well as reducing the prices of goods and services to achieve Mr. President’s mandate.”

Opeifa expressed happiness at the outcome, adding that with the workforce behind him, he could now begin to work at optimizing railway operations in the country.

He said the management was committed to the welfare of the workers and ensuring that their work as well as living conditions would be adequately catered for under his leadership.

The labour unions had during Opeifa’s resumption indicated their willingness to drop their agitation in deference to the new managing director who they described as a member of the human rights family.

National President of the NUR, Innocent Aji, lauded Opeifa for his frankness.

He appreciated the MD’s willingness to listen attentively to their grievances, adding that the union would hold tenaciously to the promises extracted from him during the meeting.

Corroborating the NUR president, his counterpart at the Senior Staff Association, Marcel Okeke, said their decision to rein in the workers was informed by the human rights pedigree of the new managing director, and his openness during the meeting.

According to Okeke, the union leaders were enamoured by the fact that the managing director was once a comrade, adding that they had no doubt that under him, railway workers would enjoy a new deal and a new lease of life.

They reached the truce just as Opeifa assured them that under him, the NRC management would continue to foster greater collaboration with the unions for the purpose of promoting industrial harmony.

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Work set to begin on Green Line Rail, says Lagos Commissioner 

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Work set to begin on Green Line Rail, says Lagos Commissioner 

 

Construction work is set to commence on the 68-kilometre Green Line rail project, which will connect Marina to the Lekki Free Trade Zone.

The news came after the Lagos State government had signed an agreement with the Federal Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI) for exploratory work on the project to begin.

Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, made the disclosure on Tuesday.

“This landmark project will improve connectivity, ease movement, and boost economic activities between critical areas in Lagos,” he said.

The Federal Government allocated a total of N146.14 billion in the 2025 budget as counterpart funding for the Lagos Green Line Metro Rail project.

The 68-kilometre rail network will stretch from the Lekki Free Trade Zone to Marina, connecting vital areas of Lagos, including Victoria Island, Lekki, and Ajah.

The Green Line is the state’s third rail line, coming after the inauguration of the Blue Line (electric) and the Red Line (diesel) connecting Marina to Mile 2 (extending to Okokomaiko) and Marina to Agbado respectively.

“This new line will transform our transport landscape, linking key areas like Victoria Island, Lekki, Ajah, and more,” Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the governor of the state, wrote on his X (formerly Twitter).

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