The Lagos-Kano rail line and the Lagos-Port Harcourt standard gauge will start running before December, Minister of Transport Rotimi Amaechi said yesterday.
Hesaid plans are underway to procure additional 20 locomotive trains for cargo services for the routes.
Amaechi spoke in Kaduna when he inspected the newly built Kaduna Dry Port.
The minister said the vision of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration is to establish a safe and efficient transport system to boost economic activities across the country.
Amaechi, who was with Kaduna State Governor Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, explained that the Kaduna Inland Dry Port project was designed to decongest the seaports and bring shipping and port services closer to importers and exporters in the hinterlands.
The port, which has the capacity to handle 29,000 containers per annum when commissioned, will serve as a port of origin and final destination – meaning it will have the status of international port, including customs, immigration, port health officials, as well as government security agencies.
Headded that by the time the rail projects are completed, they will largely help importers and exporters of goods to transport them through the rail lines, thereby saving cost, time and guaranteeing safety of their goods.
The minister said: “We are doing everything possible to create jobs and whatever the Federal Government needs to do to get the port running will be done.
“The rail line will soon start running before the end of the year, which will be used to deliver goods at the port.
“Everything is set for commissioning because we have the land, warehouse and all. But we want to wait for the completion of the roads. We want to wait for more activities in the dry port before we get the President to commission it.
“I have visited Jos and they are doing a good job and they promised to be ready by June. I have visited Kaduna and what I have seen is commendable.”
The ministerhailed the efforts and various contributions of Kaduna State government and solicited the government’s contribution towards ensuring that roads are in perfect shape.
El-Rufai said the project was inherited from the previous administration and assured that the state government would provide the necessary infrastructure needed for effective take-off of the port upon its inauguration.
He said the government would fix the roads leading to the port and create more exits to avoid congestion usually experienced at the Apapa port.
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