Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi says the Federal
\nGovernment will ensure the total rehabilitation of the Abuja Airport
\nrunway for smooth operations and deliver it in six weeks.<\/p>\n
Amaechi who acknowledged the pains closure of the Airport would cause the
\neconomy maintained that his Ministry will ensure the reopening after due
\nrehabilitation is concluded in six weeks.<\/p>\n
Amaechi gave the assurance when he appeared alongside his colleague
\nMinisters at a town hall meeting organised by the Ministry of Information
\nin Ilorin, Kwara State on Monday.<\/p>\n
According to him, “We are saying that the Abuja Airport runway was built
\nto last for twenty years but we have been using it for thirty four years.
\nIt has become extremely dangerous to continue using it, the way it is
\nright now. We need to close it to rebuild it and reconstruct it. The
\nfoundation is almost gone and what we are asking for is patience. If we
\ndon’t close it we will be exposing lives. One of the constitutional
\nresponsibilities of the President is to protect lives and property. So you
\ncan’t deny us that responsibility. We believe that if we close it by
\nMarch, in six weeks time we shall be able to reopen it. We know it is
\nchallenging for our economy. We think that we will keep to those six
\nweeks,” he said.<\/p>\n
While explaining issues concerning Maritime, particularly in the North
\nCentral, Amaechi noted that his ministry was determined to commission the
\nBaro River Port by the first quarter of next year.<\/p>\n
“We met abandoned Maritime. Our target this year is that by first quarter
\nof next year we shall be commissioning Baro River Port. We are in the
\nprocess of awarding the contract for the last equipment that they will use
\nat the River Port. NIWA is there working hard. I understand the sentiments
\nof Baro. The only reason why we have not gotten the contractor at Lokoja
\npart is that we don’t trust the contractor and I have directed NIWA to go
\nand look for the process of terminating that contract and get a new
\ncontractor to complete the project and that mandate, we have from Mr.
\nPresident”.<\/p>\n
“The other mandate that will interest you is the Central Railway Line, the
\nItakpe\/ Ajaokuta Railway Line. If you go back there now the contractors
\nare back to site. We have sent them back to site. That is a 32 years
\nproject. Under this government we have decided and agreed with the
\ncontractors that we will complete it first quarter of next year”.<\/p>\n
“Even Baro will be completed first quarter of next year. The other thing
\nthat will interest you is the Narrow Gauge Railway Line that transverses
\nyour state (Kwara) to Minna. We are about to start negotiations with
\nGeneral Electric (GE). The Narrow Gauge will start if we successfully
\nconclude our conversation. Before the end of this year, from Lagos to
\nAjaokuta to Ibadan to Ilorin to Minna and onward to Kano we will revive
\nthat railway line”.<\/p>\n
“We believe that between the first and second quarters we would have
\ncompleted the negotiations and you will see more activities on the train.
\nOnce we conclude it, it will create employment. The other one that will
\nalso interest you is the Standard Gauge which everybody is clamouring for.
\nWe have awarded the contract for the Lagos to Ibadan Standard Gauge Line.
\nBy the time they complete that we will be awarding Ibadan to Ilorin and
\nthe prayer you should make is to ask the National Assembly to kindly
\napprove for us the borrowing plan that was sent to them”.<\/p>\n
“Out of that borrowing plan, 6.1billion dollars is meant for railway. For
\nthe Lagos to Ibadan, you have 1.5billion dollars. The loan has been
\napproved by the China Exim Bank, the only thing holding us today is that
\nthe NASS is yet to approve the borrowing plan. As citizens from the North
\nCentral, please kindly appeal to the NASS to approve the borrowing plan”,
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
‘When that is completed the next phase of the railway will be from Ibadan
\nto Minna or Ilorin. Currently, we are also looking for loan to do Kano to
\nKaduna for that Standard Gauge Rail Line”, he said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi says the Federal Government will ensure the total rehabilitation of the Abuja Airport runway for smooth operations and deliver it in six weeks. Amaechi…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":41728,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-56029","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n