The Federal Government has approved the sum of $5.3bn Ibadan to Kano standard gauge rail project.
Disclosing this on Thursday in Lagos during the 3rd Maritime Stakeholders Interactive Forum, the Honourable Minister of Transportation, Hon. Chibuike Amaechi, revealed that they have also applied for funding to commence coastal rail for the Port-Harcourt to Warri segment.
“Just yesterday, we got approval to complete the $5.3bn Ibadan to Kano rail project. We have also applied for funding to commence coastal rail for the Port-Harcourt to Warri segment”, he said.
He added that the Minister of State Transportation, Senator Gbemisola Saraki will personally be in charge of all maritime agencies while he will focus on the Railway sector.
According to the Minister, “In my first term as Minister, I completely abandoned the maritime sector to the Heads of Agencies.
“This time around, that won’t be happening again as I have instructed that the Honourable Minister of Transportation for State should personally supervise the maritime agencies, while I just oversee what is happening.
“There are two things I discussed with Mr. President that I will be focusing on in this second term as Minister, and they are maritime security and the Single Window project. I have assured the government that by the end of 2020, we should have the Single Window at our maritime sector.
“On maritime security, I have told the Israeli firm HSLI that they are too slow. By now, they should have launched. I want to know the situation of things with the aspect of security on our maritime space”, he ended.
