Minister of Transportation, Mu’azu Sambo, announce dis one for State House correspondents on Wednesday, March 22, afta dis week’s Council meeting wey President Muhammadu Buhari chair for Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Dis approved sum also include N510.93m wey dey meant for procurement of four customised fire service/search and rescue vans for seaports wey dey Port Harcourt, Lagos Port Complex, Tincan Island port and di Marina headquarters of Nigerian Ports Authority.
Dis 248km rail line go pass through Kano, oda cities like Kazaure for Bauchi State, Daura and Mashi for Katsina State; Dutse for Jigawa State, Jibia wey be border town and e go end for Niger Republic’s trade and agricultural hub of Maradi.
According to one former Transport Minister, Rotimi Amaechi, dis line get 15 stations for e path with daily traffic of 9,364 passengers and approximately 3000 metric tons of cargo.
However, lawmakers don get issue with dis project and don yan against am.
But on Wednesday, Sambo yan: “Di memorandum seek council consideration and approval for di award of contract for procurement of rolling stock, operation or maintenance equipment for Kano-Maradi standard gauge rail line wey dem dey construct.
“Di contract wey dem award go MSSRs Mota-Engil Nigeria Limited, wey be di contractors wey dey handle dis particular project na for di sum of $984,722,302.5 inclusive of seven and a half per cent VAT with a completion period of four years.”
Sambo still talk say Transport ministry present anoda memo on behalf of Nigerian Ports Authority “for di award of contract for construction and supply of four customised Fire Service search and rescue vans for extrication of accident victims for Rivers Ports for Port Harcourt, Lagos Port complex, Tincan Island Port and di Marina headquarters of NPA, all in Lagos.
Sambo talk say: “Council consider di memorandum and approve di award of contract as recommended and reviewed by Bureau of Public Procurement for di sum of N510,934,600 inclusive of seven and a half percent VAT with a completion period of nine months in favour of Messrs All Works Commercial Company Limited.”