Adamu Aliero, chairman of the Senate committee on land transport, says the African Development Bank (AfDB) has released $350 million to the Federal Government for the construction of a rail line from Kano to Maradi.
Aliero disclosed this during an oversight visit of the committee to the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) on Monday in Lagos.
He added that President Bola Tinubu’s recent trip to China was to complete negotiations on the release of the 85 per cent funding for railway modernisation and rehabilitation.
“Recently, the Supplementary Appropriation Bill was brought to the National Assembly, and in that bill which the assembly passed into law, we had over N530 billion which is meant to be counterpart funding for railway modernisation and rehabilitation in Nigeria.
“That amount is supposed to be counterpart funding. Eighty-five per cent of the funding is going to be sourced from outside, either from China Exim Bank or from International Finance Corporation or ADB,” he said.
He said that the committee members were impressed with what they had seen so far on rail construction from Lagos to Abeokuta.
“We have been informed by the acting managing director that the rail line is now working from Lagos to Ibadan and that the Ebuta Meta Station has been linked to the Apapa seaport which is very important.
“We have been told about the services which NRC is providing – the freight service provided from Ibadan to Lagos, Kano to Lagos, Funtua to Apapa.
“Equally important is Port Harcourt to Aba, Warri to Itakpe and other passenger services.”
He remarked that after an attack on its train by bandits, the NRC was able to restore normalcy in its operations.
He said that the committee was committed to making sure that the NRC would meet its mandate by providing all the legislative support.
Aliero said that the services provided at the stations, including ticketing, were of high standards.
On technical services provided by the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), he said the committee was impressed with the technology transfer being provided.
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“They are transferring technology to Nigerians to ensure that after their departure, Nigerians will be able to maintain the coaches and locomotives.
“Nigerians should also try to imbibe maintenance culture to ensure that the infrastructure is in good shape,” he said.
He said that the railway used to be an exclusive preserve of the Federal Government but had gone into the Concurrent Legislative List.
“This means both the state and the Federal Government can legislate on the railway, and with the amendment, states are now allowed to establish their rail lines but the NRC will be the regulator to ensure standards,” he said.
He also urged state governments to provide accessible roads to train stations, saying that thousands of people were being transported and millions of tonnes of goods were transported from the seaport to the hinterlands.
He said that the Federal Government could not do it alone, adding that state governments needed to come in and complement the efforts of the Federal Government.
On ensuring officials of NRC had the technical know-how, the acting managing director of NRC, Ben Iloanusi, said that the Railway Technical School was functional and had been moved to Lagos.
“The place is also being used by the National Directorate of Employment. Apart from training for railway staff, external people also undertake training there.
“We run a three-year course for railway people which is equivalent to a diploma.
“We are trying to bring in more courses into the system. We are also helping out Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority and the Lagos State generally in terms of training,” he said.
On the Kajola Locomotive Wagon Rolling Stock, he said that the plant built 500 wagons per annum, adding that the NRC was working with the CCECC in assembling the wagons.
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