By 
The federal government, on Wednesday, December 21, said that its initial promise to complete the narrow-gauge eastern railway corridor before President Muhammadu Buhari leaves office in May 2023 is no longer feasible.
It explained that the project had been stalled due to the unavailability of foreign loans required to fund it.
Buhari, in 2020, announced the commencement of the $1.96 billion rail-line project, adding that it would stimulate economic activities in 14 states of the federation.
The benefiting states included Abia, Anambra, Imo, Ebonyi Enugu, Rivers, Nasarawa, Benue, Plateau, Kaduna, Yobe, Borno, Bauchi and Gombe states.
The former minister of transport, Rotimi Amaechi, also said that the Port Harcourt-Maiduguri railway project would be delivered before the end of the tenure of the present administration.
However, the incumbent minister of education, Mu’azu Sambo, while speaking on the issue after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Wednesday, December 21, disclosed that financing the project had become an issue.
According to him, the federal government has not been able to obtain the foreign counterpart funding needed for the project, making it impossible to fund it as envisaged.
Sambo said that, “The truth of the matter is that if there was a promise to deliver this line before the end of this administration, this promise is no longer feasible because, when the contract was approved, it was approved on the premise that 85 percent will be funded through foreign loan, while 15 percent will be the counterpart funding from the national budget.
“Since that approval, we have not been able to obtain that 85 percent foreign loans for this project.
“We have been funding it through the national budget on the basis of the 15 percent counterpart funding of the federal government, and this has been a major challenge for this project,” he added.
On the status of the dredging of the Calabar Channel, Sambo said that the project, which had suffered series of setbacks, as a result of litigations, would resume soon, adding that President Buhari had directed his ministry to collaborate with the ministry of justice, to ensure that the issues are resolved amicably.
While the Calabar Port is one of the oldest ports in the country, it had been operating below its potential due to draft issues which has made it impossible for large vessels to navigate through the channel.
As a result, the Lagos, Onne and Port Harcourt ports have continued to receive more cargo traffic that ordinarily would have been berthed in Calabar.
The minister of works and housing, Babatunde Fashola, while speaking on Wednesday, said that the remaining work at both the Obosi and Asaba sides of the second Niger bridge are progressing well, pointing out that the project will be completed and commissioned before the end of the present administration on May 29, 2023.
According to Fashola, “I am certain that the second Niger bridge will be completed and commissioned before the end of this administration.
“The work remaining to be done on the main bridge are just road markings, fixing of signs and fittings.
“From the Obosi side, work is ongoing on the adjoining roads and would have been completed if not for the sit-at-home order on Mondays which have slowed down the pace of the work.
“Also, from the Asaba end of the bridge, you can see the stockpiling of sand and because it’s a marshy area, after sand-filling, you allow the land to dry up.
“So we are doing the pre-fabricated stockpiling and soon the works will be completed,” he added.
Meanwhile, despite the failure of the federal government to complete numerous projects in the south-east geopolitical zone, the Buhari-led administration has been consistent in delivering projects in northern Nigeria.
Recall that President Muhammadu Buhari, on Tuesday, November 22, inaugurated the Kolmani Oil Prospecting Lease (OPL) located between Bauchi and Gombe states.
The Kolmani OPL is the first oil drilling field in northern Nigeria.
This development didn’t come as a surprise to many, who are always updated with numerous projects taking place in the country, especially in the north.
Some of the numerous projects completed or ongoing in the northern part of the nation are as follows:
• Discovery, exploration of crude oil in large quantity in Bauchi, Gombe states.
• Ajaokuta, Abuja, Kaduna, Kano gas pipeline project.
The project is currently ongoing, and the laying of pipe has entered Kano state, precisely Kwanar Dangora in Bebeji local government of the state.
This project will bring massive development to the north, as gas power stations will be constructed in Kano and Kaduna states, which will revive the industries in the states.
• Completion of 700MW Zungeru Hydropower Project in Niger state.
• Kogi state was declared an oil-producing state last year.
• 100 percent completion of Baro port in Niger state.
It is not currently functional due to lack of access road. The road is now under construction and it is funded by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) under the tax credit initiated by Buhari’s administration.
• Completion of 40MW of Kashimbilla Hydropower Project in Taraba state, which is to be commissioned very soon.
• Dadinkowa power project with Irrigation facility in Gombe, at the stage of final installation of power equipments.
• Completion of Mother and Child hospital in Gashua, Yobe state
• Completion of Mother and Child hospital in Makurdi, Benue state.
• Construction of Kano-Kaduna double standard gauge rail line.
• Airforce Institute of Technology, Kaduna state.
• Airforce Reference Hospital, Bauchi state.
• Establishment of Naval base in Kano state.
• Acquiring of modern fighter jets that has given a devastating blow to terrorists.
• Rigorous farming activities taking place in the North as a result of banning of rice importation into the country.
• Establishment of Dala Inland dry-port in Kano state, completed and commisioned.
• Completion of Kaduna Inland dry-port.
• Numerous Universities, Polytechnics and Colleges being sighted in the north in places like Katsina, Kano, Bauchi, Jigawa, Kebbi, Benue and a host of other states.
This was done to ensure that students have many available choice when enrolling for JAMB exams.
• Creation/upgrading of all the transmission stations in the north to boost power supply.
• Completion of Loko/Owetto bridge, Nasarawa state, a strategic bridge linking North and South.
This is a major alternative whenever Abuja to Lokoja road is blocked as a result of any natural or artificial cause.
• Ongoing construction of Ibi Bridge in Taraba to link the North-east and the North-central states. A major route for those travelling from Abuja to Taraba and Adamawa states.
• Road projects currently under construction and those completed in the north include:
– Abuja, Kaduna, Kano road projects.
– Dualization of Kano to Katsina state : The project is currently ongoing, and appreciable work has been done midway to the project.
– Kano to Maiduguri road project: Sections 2 and 3 have been completed and commisioned. Section 4 is completed and awaiting inauguration.
– Kaduna to Jos road project: This project commenced in 2021 and is being handled by the construction giants, Setraco.
– Kaduna eastern bypass being constructed as shortcut for travellers travelling to Kano state and other core northern states from Abuja.
– Dualization of Suleja to Minna road.
– Reconstruction of Lambata to Lapai to Bida, which will open up the Baro port, being constructed and commisioned by this administration.
– Commissioning of Hadejia to Gashua road in Jigawa and Yobe,states.
– Construction of Birnin Kebbi road to Yauri via Kontagora to Makera in Niger state is ongoing.
– Dualization of Kano to Daura in Katsina was awarded recently.
– Dualization of Kano state to Garki in Jigawa state was awarded recently.
– Gombe to Biu, Numan to Jalingo and Yola to Mubi road projects are ongoing too.
– Kwanar Dangora to Saminaka is currently ongoing.
– Abuja via Keffi/Lafia/Makurdi road project is ongoing.
– Dualization of Lokoja to Benin expressway is undergoing a massive facelift.
– Lokoja to Kabba road in Kogi state has been completed and commissioned.
Comments