The Minister of Transportation, Mu’azu Sambo, says the Federal Government is considering adopting the Kano State Government’s digital security measure to protect rail lines, especially the Abuja-Kaduna railway.
Recall that the government had in the 2022 budget earmarked N71, 671,088,783 for the installation of an acoustic sensing security surveillance system for the Abuja-Kaduna rail project.
Addressing newsmen on Wednesday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, the minister said the digital security system at Falgore Forest in Kano is being evaluated among other security measures to protect the rail tracks across the country.
He said: “We are looking at solutions that are technology-based and you know technology changes every day.
“There is a system of security that Kano State Government employed in the ‘Falgore’ forest sanctioned by the DSS. We are looking at that.
“We are also mindful of the cost. If, for example, you are going to spend between N3billion and N9billion just to provide surveillance and monitoring system alone the Abuja-Kaduna rail line alone, how much is the government going to spend for the entire country?,’’ Mr Mu’azu quizzed.
“So, we also looking at PPP options. There are companies, notable companies that have solved these things outside this jurisdiction and we give them the Right of Way, put the infrastructure and the personnel, then we pay as we go, which is more attractive option.”
Commenting on the development, a security expert, Shehu Nagari, urged the Federal Government not to compromise cost while developing security measures.
Mr Nagari noted that the Public Private partnership, PPP, proposal to address the rail line security challenges is not advisable anywhere in the world.
He lauded the digital security program of Kano State, saying that the system is in no small feat is supporting the state security structure.
‘’Honestly, I can’t understand why the federal government is foot dragging and not understudy why Kano is that safe and the things put in place assisting them,” Mr Nagari said.
