Amaechi: FG To Commence Construction Of Kano-Kaduna Rail Line In July

The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi on Friday said the Federal Government will commence the construction of Kano-Kaduna rail line in July.

The Nation reports that the Minister said this when he led a delegation of Nigerian Shippers Council and Nigeria Railway Corporation to pay a courtesy visit on the Kano State Governor in Kano.

Amaechi said the rail line and the Inland Dry Port would boost business activities of the state and encourage import and export activities.

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 would start work on the Kano-Kaduna part of the rail.

“We will link the Kano rail to Kaduna and link Ibadan to Abuja, then we would address the problem of cargoes.

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“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,” he said.

Responding, Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje said the volume of import and export in the state was high because of the population of the State.

He also said the dry port and the rail line would boost the economy of the State.

Ganduje said: “With the international airport in Kano and the businesses happening with other neighbouring countries, the dry port and the rail line will boost the economy of the State.”