Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi has hinted that construction of the Kano-Kaduna rail line will commence in July, 2021.
Gatekeepers News reports that the minister of transportation, Rotimi Amaechi said that as his ministry was rounding up the Lagos-Ibadan rail project billed to be inaugurated in June, they are set to commence work on the Kano-Kaduna line.
Gatekeepers News gathered that Amaechi made this known in a statement by his Media Aide, Taiye Elebiyo-Edeni, when he led a delegation of Nigerian Shippers Council and Nigeria Railway Corporation on a courtesy visit to Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State, North-west, Nigeria.
He said that the rail line and the Inland Dry Port would boost business activities of the state due to its economic viability of the state.
Amaechi further noted that although there was no River in the state, maritime activities would be brought there.
He said:
“We are here because we want to see how far you have gone with the Dala Inland Dry Port because between now and July we will start work on the Kano-Kaduna part of the rail and wherever we link the Kano rail to Kaduna and link Ibadan to Abuja, then we have solved the problem of cargoes.
“We have to learn how to manage cargoes that come to Kano, like you know, we are also linking Kano-Maradi, so Kano will be the hub for the railway sector with a major station in Kano, it will be able to control the volume of human traffic in Kano.
“Kano is important to Nigeria, Kano is also important to the railway sector and we are trying to see how to bring Maritime into Kano, it is important to note that the Nigerian Shippers’ Council North-West Zonal Office is located at Kano because of the economic importance.
“We believe that the government has the capacity to protect those projects and respond to the needs of the users.”
Ganduje while responding said that he was delighted that the Zonal Office of the Nigerian Shippers Council was located in the State because of its commercial nature.
He added that based on the population of the State, the volume of import and export was very high noting that Kano has the highest vote during elections and the highest seat at the National Assembly.
He, however, said that with the international airport in Kano and the businesses happening with other neighbouring countries, the Dry Port and the Rail line would boost the economy of the State.
