The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced it has commenced reconstruction of the Eastern rail line, which links Port Harcourt with Maiduguri.
This was disclosed in a statement by the Transport Minister, Rotimi Amaechi on Sunday.
He stated that the FG’s first target is to get track-laying from Port Harcourt to Enugu completed.
What the minister is saying
He stated, “The contractors are working in different gangs across the line simultaneously. Our first target is to get track-laying from Port Harcourt to Enugu completed, then proceed with the next phase.”
Meanwhile, the media aide to the Presidency, stated that the first phase is the PH-Enugu section. This project should move quickly, considering that there’s already an existing rail corridor, along which new tracks will be laid.
- On the 10th of March, 2021, the Federal Government kickstarted a $3 billion rehabilitation and reconstruction of the 1,443-kilometer (897-mile) Eastern Railway line that starts from the southeastern oil hub of Port Harcourt and terminates at the northeastern city of Maiduguri.
- The rail line is expected to link Nigeria’s industrial and agriculture hubs, facilitating the easy movement of people, goods and services.
- When completed, it will connect Rivers, Abia, Imo, Enugu, Ebonyi, Anambra, Benue, Nasarawa, Plateau, Kaduna, Bauchi, Gombe, Yobe and Borno states.
- Amaechi said that the Federal Government is expected to provide about 15% of the $3 billion rehabilitation and reconstruction cost, while the balance will be provided by a syndicate of Chinese financiers.