Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, on Friday said that the Kano- Kaduna rail project would commence in July.
Mr Amaechi made the disclosure when he paid a courtesy visit to Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje in Kano.
“Kano-Kaduna railway project will commence between now and July and the project will head to Lagos through Ibadan,”he said.
The minister said that the Federal Government would link Kano to Maradi in Niger Republic.
“Kano can also be a hub, which will grow the economy and also create job opportunities for its teeming youths,” he said.
Mr Amaechi said that the ministry, however, rejected the design for train station in Kano for a bigger and better one like that of Lagos.
“We are going to build a big and modern rail station that will contain the volume of cargo and human trafficking that will pass through Kano.
“Kano is important to Nigeria and also important to railway sector and we try to see how we can bring maritime sector into the state,”he said.
The minister, who was in Kano to commission North-West zonal office of Nigeria Shippers Council, said the office was sited in Kano because of the economic activities of the state.
Mr Amaechi restated the federal government’s commitment to developing transport infrastructure in the country.
Responding, Gov. Ganduje commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his strides in transport sector, noting that the projects, when completed, will boost economic activity of the state.
“The rail project will boost commercial activities and create jobs for our teeming youths because Kano is the commercial nerve center of the North and some West African countries,”he explained.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the minister was accompanied by Managing Director of Nigerian Shippers Council, Mr Hassan Bello, Director General of Nigerian Railway Corporation, Fidet Okhiria.
Others include, Permanent Secretary, Federal ministry of Transport, Dr Magdalene Nwanwuche and the Director General of Nigerian Maritime and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Bashir Jamoh.
NAN reports that Mr Amaechi also inspected the multi billion Naira Dala inland dry port.
NAN
