Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari has given the directive that all the 36
state capitals should be connected with rail in the ongoing railway
projects.
state capitals should be connected with rail in the ongoing railway
projects.
The Minister of Transportation, Mr, Chibuike Amaechi, said on
Thursday at the meeting with the Chairman Senate Committee on Local and
Foreign Debts, Sen. Shehu Sani.
Thursday at the meeting with the Chairman Senate Committee on Local and
Foreign Debts, Sen. Shehu Sani.
The meeting also attended by the Ministers of Finance; Budget and
National Planning; and Power, Works and Housing was in connection with
President Buhari’s loan request of 5.5 billion dollars.
National Planning; and Power, Works and Housing was in connection with
President Buhari’s loan request of 5.5 billion dollars.
Amaechi said that the central rail line project connecting several
communities of northern and southern Nigeria would be completed in June,
next year.
communities of northern and southern Nigeria would be completed in June,
next year.
According to him, 17 coaches are expected to arrive in November and
out of the number, 10 will be deployed to Abuja-Kaduna rail line while
the remaining seven will be deployed to the Itakpe-Warri rail line.
out of the number, 10 will be deployed to Abuja-Kaduna rail line while
the remaining seven will be deployed to the Itakpe-Warri rail line.
Amaechi said that part of the money being requested now for approval
by the senate was to execute the rail projects covering Kano-Kaduna, and
Lagos-Ibadan networks.
by the senate was to execute the rail projects covering Kano-Kaduna, and
Lagos-Ibadan networks.
Sani had earlier advised if Nigeria “must borrow, it must borrow responsibly”.
Sani said: “the committee has the mandate to examine the merits and
otherwise of the current loan request of 5.5 billion dollars of the
president.
otherwise of the current loan request of 5.5 billion dollars of the
president.
“If we must bequeath to the future generation a pile of debt, it must
be justified with commensurate infrastructural proof of the value of
the debt.
be justified with commensurate infrastructural proof of the value of
the debt.
“The payment plan of this debt will undoubtedly last the length of our lifetimes and possibly beyond.
“We must leave behind a legacy that will appease and answer the questions the next generation of Nigerians will ask,” Sani said.
Also providing insight into the loan request, the Director-General,
Debt Management Office, Mrs Patience Oniha, explained that the loans
have sustainable benefits that would live beyond the present generation
of Nigerians.
Debt Management Office, Mrs Patience Oniha, explained that the loans
have sustainable benefits that would live beyond the present generation
of Nigerians.
“What we should take away is that we are going into projects whose benefits don’t go away.
“The roads don’t go away, the schools don’t go away, and the
hospitals don’t go away but all that we need to do is to maintain them
properly and that is the explanation I want to make on that,” she said.
hospitals don’t go away but all that we need to do is to maintain them
properly and that is the explanation I want to make on that,” she said.
NAN
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