As part of his agenda to link all the states in Nigeria by rail, President Muhammadu Buhari has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Mota-Engil Group for the construction of US$1.959 billion Kano-Maradi Standard gauge railway line.
Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, on Monday, signed on behalf of the Federal Government while the Managing Director of Mota- Engil, Antonio Gvoea, signed on behalf of the contracting firm.
The new projected railway will run through Kano, Jigawa and Katsina states and through Niger Republic territory as far as Maradi, by which cities such as Danbatta, Kazaure, Daura, Mashi, Katsina and Jibiya would directly benefit from the passage of the rail-route.
In a statement signed by the Director, Press and Public Relations, Ministry of Transportation, Eric Ojiekwe, stated that the 283.750-kilometre rail line will not only enhance developing freight and passenger transport, but “also be integrated with road transport to make a great contribution to the local economy as well as an important development in the social sector.”
It was also revealed that the timeframe for the project is 36months and the contract type is Engineering, Procurement and Construction.
The signing ceremony had the attendance of the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Transportation, Dr Magdalene Ajani; Director, Legal Services, Pius Oteh; Managing Director, Mota-Engil Group, Antonio Gvoea; Head of Legal, Mota- Engil Group, Cameron Beverley; Magajin Garin Kano, Muhammad Wada; Director, Mota-Engil Group, Kola Abdulkarim; Vice President, Mota-Engil Group, Mohammed Abdul-Razaq; Nigerian Ambassador to Germany, Yusuf Tuggar; Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority, Hadiza Bala-Usman among other personalities.