FG reiterates commitment to boosting railway transport system

Rotimi Amaechi

Aminat Isah, Abuja

The federal government has expressed commitment towards ensuring that major cities across the nation are connected through railway transportation.

ROYAL NEWS reports that the move was part of the numerous measures put in place for the actualization of the dividends to populace.

The Minister of Transportation, Hon. Rotimi Amaechi disclosed this during an interactive session with online journalists in Abuja on Friday.

Transportation Minister, Rotimi Amaechi during an interactive session with online journalists in Abuja on Friday…. PHOTO: Aminat Isah

He added that the federal government is working and negotiating with stakeholders to further ensure that the rail line passes through the whole country.

The Minister who also spoke on job and wealth creation through the railways, noted that government is working to commission two railway projects in 2018 stressing lack of adequate funding was responsible for the slow pace of work.

He said: “Work is slow due to lack of funds, if there was enough cash, most railway lines would have been under construction at the same rate. If we have funding, the number of years it will take us from lagos to Ibadan will be the same from Ibadan to Ilorin. We have that cash problem, we want to influence the economy but there is no funds to go with our desires”.

“Funding has been a great challenge, if the sum of $40 billion which is requested by the Ministry is put on railway, it will make the work faster and create employment.

“Kaduna-Abuja railway is completed and the Lagos-Ibadan railway will be completed in 2019 while locations are ongoing. The railway projects have created jobs depending on the  places and sections.”