FEC approves $1.95bn for Kano-Niger Rail Project

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the sum of $1.95billion for the construction of Kano-Dutse(Jigawa)- Katsina- Jibia – Maradi (Niger Republic) rail line project.

The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, made this known when he briefed State House correspondents on the outcome of the council meeting, presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari, at the Council Chamber, State House, Abuja.

He said the council also approved N3billion for the design, manufacture, supply, testing and commissioning of one railway crane of 150 ton capacity for emergency and recovery of rolling stocks.

“The Council approved two memos for the Ministry of Transportation. The first one is the award of contract for the design, manufacture, supply, testing and commissioning of one railway crane of 150 ton capacity for emergency and recovery of rolling stocks.

“This is to sort out situations of accident on the track. It is for a total cost of N3,049,544,000. That’s the first memo that was approved for the Ministry of Transportation.

“The second one is the award of contract for the development of the proposed Kano- Dutsi -Katsina-Jibia to Maradi rail line in Niger Republic and to Dutse, the capital of Jigawa, for a total cost of $1,959,744,723.71, inclusive of 7.5% VAT,” he said.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who also addressed the correspondents on the outcome of the meeting, said the council approved the purchase of 1,800 units of laptop computers for computer-based test examinations at three Nigeria Customs Service training schools in Gwagwalada, Lagos and Kano, at the cost of N351million.

He disclosed that the council also approved N197million for the expansion of the Nigeria Customs Service’s cash management’s software in compliance with International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS).

He said the software, when installed, would enhance the efficiency of the Department of Customs.

Mohammed also stated that the council also approved an augmentation of the contract for the construction of Petroleum Technology Development Fund corporate headquarters office in Abuja, at the sum of N3,773,784,399.48, raising the initial approval for the contract to N14billion.