FG flags off eastern railway line in Port Harcourt: From TONY JOHN, Port Harcourt Federal Government has flagged off the Enugu-Port Harcourt-Enugu intercity train service in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. This was even as the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) disclosed that over N82 billion had been invested in resuscitating the railway service. Vice President Namadi Sambo performed the ceremony yesterday at the Eastern Line headquarters, Port Harcourt, saying it was a demonstration of transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan-led administration. Sambo said Jonathan’s administration was concerned about providing the qualitative and transformational change, describing the rehabilitation as a landmark achievement. He said the railway interchange project was important in service delivery, especially in “resuscitating and revitalising” the rail system that had been moribund for the past three decades. The vice president expressed optimism that, with the new development in train service, transportation challenges would be reduced. He said: “Our administration has given top priority in infrastructure development, one of which is the railway sector, as the component of the transformation agenda. “Federal Government initiated and articulated the strategic plans for the railway development in Nigeria, which has suffered neglect in the past 30 years. “We are determined to transform Nigeria to a very viable height. We have kept fate with the Nigerian people in keeping all our electoral promises. We are gradually implementing our projects that will transform the lives of Nigeria people.” He continued: “With the continued support of Nigerians, we shall see all those projects through. “This flag off of Enugu-Port Harcourt Intercity Train service is a concrete evidence that the Federal Government is very much concerned about its citizens and I am glad that this will extend to other parts of the country by January. The ongoing modernization of the rail system is progressing steadily.” Also speaking, Chairman of SURE-P, General Martin Agwai (retd), disclosed that the organisation had invested N82 billion in railway sector in the country, adding that the Enugu-Port Harcourt interchange had gulped N34.6 billion. Earlier, the Managing Director of Nigerian Railway Corporation, Adeseyi Sijuwade, said the Eastern line rehabilitation was challenging, in view of the extent of its dilapidation. The corporation, he said had successfully constructed a five-metre wide reinforced concrete culvert over a length of 366m to resolve the problem. He explained further that the Aba mountain of refuse, which was about five metres high, buried some sections of the track, thereby leading to total collapse of the No 15 bridge of the project. He pointed out that the damaged structures havd been reconstructed. Also, he said the Enugu-Port Harcourt- Enugu intercity passenger service would run three return trips per week. “Following the today’s flag off, I am happy to report that this is the first in a series of proposed flag offs along the eastern line. “We intend to flag off other sections of the line from Enugu to Markurdi, Lafia, Kafanchan- Kuru, Bauchi-Gombe with a branch line from Kafanchan-Kaduna by the end of January. I am also delighted to report our intention to commence the Port Harcourt urban mass transit service during the first quarter of 2015. “This will drastically reduce congestion along Aba Road as the service will originate from Port Harcourt through Imo River Station,” he said. Original link Read More goo.gl/rwV9Qz (y) ✍comment ☏share
Posted on: Tue, 23 Dec 2014 23:42:42 +0000
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