FG Hands Over $3.02B Completed Section of PH – ABA Rail Line to NRC

The Nigerian Railway Corporation has received the completed Port Harcourt-ABA section of the Eastern Narrow-Gauge Railway Project.

The contractor, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) Nig. Limited, handed over the project to the Federal Ministry of Transport at an event in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on Thursday.

Project Supervisor, Federal Ministry of Transport – Engr. Ayo Dada who received the completed assets on behalf of the Federal Government, and officially handed over to the Railway Corporation said, the assets include the dismantled tracks, rehabilitation and reconstruction of subgrade 62.800 km, the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the 27 sets of the turnouts at Port Harcourt station, Elelenwo station, Obuzor station, Umugo and ABA station, among others.

“The handed-over assets handed over to the Ministry by the contractors include, the dismantled tracks 283.060 km, rehabilitation and reconstruction of subgrade 62.800 km, supply and laying rail for the main line 62.800 km, laying rail for the siding lines 5.690km, rehabilitation and reconstruction of 27 sets of the turnouts at Port Harcourt station, Elelenwo station, Obuzor station, Umugo station and Aba station, rehabilitation of the existing 4 steel bridges at DK6+807.2, DK10+858.6, DK13+243.8 and DK27+469.2, reconstruction of 1 concrete bridge at DK4+252, rehabilitation of 10 existing culverts, reconstruction of 12 new culverts, reconstruction of 35 level crossings and construction of 33, 275 m drainage to the Federal Ministry of Transportation (FMOT), added said.

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According to Dada, the rail lines have since been operating, which will boost the economy of the Rivers and Abia states. The project will soon be delivered to Maiduguri.

The completion of this project is anticipated to boost the region’s economy, bringing both growth and development to both cities and states. The railway will also provide a safer and more efficient means of transportation, reducing the risk of accidents and congestion on the roads, “Dada stressed.

On his part, Deputy Director, &nbsp, Track and Civil – Nigerian Railway Corporation, Ogunade Adesegun who represented the Managing Director of NRC, Ben Iloanusi, hailed the completion of the project.

He claimed that the government’s efforts to provide efficient transportation systems have paid off, and that Nigerians have already seen the results of their efforts.

Adesegun also demanded locals to help guard the rail lines from vandals, stressing that everyone’s concern should be the safety of the project because it belongs to Nigerians.

He further disclosed that the government has contracted local vigilante organizations to securing the tracks and that other security measures have been in place to stop vandals from engaging in.

” We all have this property. We are supposed to take over the property. The ministry and the presidency have security measures in place for that, he said.

According to the project manager, Engr. Olufemi Aransiola, the contractor Khairi/Jamub SDN Limited, the total cost of the project from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri is $ 3.02 billion.

The rail line project’s groundbreaking, according to President Muhammadu Buhari, took place in 14 states where it traverses in March 2021.

Source: Channels TV