Rotimi Amaechi, the Minister of Transportation, on Wednesday noted that the Federal Executive Council, has approved the award of contracts for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the Port Harcourt-Maiduguri eastern narrow-gauge railway, with new branch lines and trans-shipment facilities.
The former Governor of Rivers State, stated this while speaking State House correspondents after FEC meeting on Wednesday.
President Muhammadu Buhari presided over the meeting at the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Amaechi added that the council also approved the construction of a new deep seaport in Bonny, under the Private-Public- Partnership (PPP) programme and the construction of an Industrial railway 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 an industrial railway 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 the 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 narrow gauge to standard gauge at Kafanchan.”
“There is a branch line from Gombe or before Maiduguri to Damaturu and Gashua. That’s what has been approved,’’ he said.
