The Federal Government is set to partner with the Kaduna state government on the construction of light rail projects to further ease the state’s transportation challenges.
The Minister of Transportation, Senator Said Ahmed Alkali disclosed this when the State Governor, Senator Uba Sani led a delegation to seek the support of the Ministry towards the development of light rail Wednesday in Abuja.
Alkali noted that the desire of Kaduna State government to collaborate with the Federal Ministry of Transportation to develop the light rail in Kaduna is not only apt but timely.
The Minister emphasized that the transportation sector is the gateway of the nation’s economy, as no nation can fix her GDP without an affordable transportation system.
“When I took over as the Minister of Transportation. It was directed by Mr. President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to ensure timely delivery of all railway projects under the railway partnership. Your Excellency, the Ministry is pleased with your developmental metrics. It matched with that of our dear President in putting transportation on the top scale of your administration.
“When Mr. President visited China for a state visit. He has engaged President Xi Jinping of the People’s Republic of China to ensure the delivery of our project from Ibadan to Abuja and Kaduna to Kano and Port-Harcourt to Maiduguri Your Excellency, I am pleased to inform you that we are going to deliver Kaduna to Kano segment of railway modification project by next year. Kano to Maradi with a branchline to Dutse by next year.”
The Minister further gave assurances of support under the directive of the President, that the Ministry should collaborate with the sub-nationals to ensure the development of the rail transportation sector, and that the Federal Ministry of Transportation would cooperate with Kaduna State to ensure timely delivery of the Kaduna Light Rail.
The minister therefore gave an express directive to the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary to set up an engagement committee between the federal ministry of transportation, the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) and the Kaduna state government who will give the design on how the light rail project would be developed.
“We want to do the ground breaking as quickly as possible. The committee will submit a report within two weeks. And you are directed to come to your inaugural meeting. I am going to inaugurate the committee on Monday. I will give you the terms of reference. I have already given you a marching order to report back to the Ministry within two weeks,” said Alkali.
In his remarks, Kaduna State governor, Senator Uba Sani, appreciated the minister for repositioning the rail transportation system within and outside the country.
Senator Sani noted that the thrust of his visit was to further the state’s collaboration with the ministry of transportation and also thank the minister for giving the necessary support.
The governor asserts that addressing transportation related issues no doubt address other pressing issues such as the creation of jobs and the enhancement of productivity.
“I want to thank the minister for positioning both within the country and outside. And the level of support the ministry is getting from her partners and that is why some of us at subnational have stepped up and that is why today with the support of our leaders President Bola Tinubu who has given this rare opportunity to the minister.”
Sen. Uba Sani noted that Kaduna state is one of the state’s leading in the area of transportation, the transportation hub in the whole northern Nigeria, and second to none after Lagos.
“Few weeks ago, president Bola Ahmed was in Kaduna to commission our 100 CNG buses and he attest to the fact that Kaduna is leading, and not only that, five months ago we did the ground breaking of our but and we are embarking on 24 km corridor, of our bus terminal which i have no doubt that it is the first in Nigeria. I am here to brief the minister that we are making a lot of progress. We are looking forward to commissioning the project by the 3rd quarter of next year.
“Due to this, President Tinubu selected Kaduna as one of the few states for the light rail project.
“President Tinubu has given 100 billion first instalments to support the ensuring the light rail in Kaduna,” he said.
