The Minister of Transportation, Hon. Chibuike Amaechi will on Saturday November 9, 2019 accompany the Vice President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osibanjo to the groundbreaking ceremony of the planned Railway Wagon assembly plant in Kajola, Ogun State.
The Ministry on behalf of the Federal government had in March 2018 signed an agreement with the Chinese rail contractor CCECC to establish the Wagon Assembly plant where rolling stocks would be produced locally for the ongoing Railway Modernization Projects.
Recall that Amaechi on Tuesday through his Twitter handle @ChibuikeAmaechi, announced that the plan to develop the plant is to bring home rail technology.
He said, “As part of our resolve to bring home rail technology and have our own people produce, develop and maintain rail transport equipment and facilities, we have convinced our Chinese partners to establish a Wagon Assembly Plant here in Nigeria.
“We have since signed the agreement, we are set. The factory will be situated in Kajola, Ogun State along the Lagos-Ibadan railway corridor. The ground breaking ceremony is scheduled for the 8th of November, 2019. Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osibanjo will lay the foundation stone.
“Production at the Plant will include assembly of railway rolling stocks. We’ll procure the 1st batch of Wagons from the production line for the Lagos-Ibadan freight train operations. As its capacity increases, Coaches and Wagons will be produced there,” he ended.
Meanwhile, in a latest development, the Minister also took to his Twitter handle on Wednesday to give an update on the groundbreaking ceremony which he said, will now hold on Saturday, November 9, 2019.
His tweet read, “Update: The groundbreaking of the Wagon Assembly Plant in Kajola, Ogun State will now hold on Nov 9, 2019.We are also waiting for the President to give us a date he’ll lay the foundation stone of the University of Transportation in Daura.#NextLevel #LocalisingRailwayTechnology”.
When established, the plant is expected to produce part of the Wagons which would be used on the Lagos – Ibadan, Abuja – Kaduna, Ajaokuta – Warri Railway Lines operations and for other railway operators.
Furthermore, the plant upon completion and commencement of production is expected to employ nearly five thousand (5000) Nigerians and as demand increases for rolling stocks, the capacity of the plant would be expanded to include in the first phase— assembly of coaches and locomotives.
