In a move to ensure proper implementation of railway modernization project, the joint committee of both the Senate and the House of Representatives inspected the ongoing rail line construction from Kaduna to Kano.
The legislators, in performing their oversight functions, a train ride from Kano to Makarfi.
The Senate Committee Chairman on Land Transport, Senator Adamu Aliero said: “We are impressed with what we have seen. A lot of dedication is being put in by the ministry and also by the contractor to deliver the project in time.
“Let me start by telling you that this is a joint committee of both the House and also the Senate coming to inspect the construction of a rail line between Kaduna to Kano. And we have just taken a ride from Kano to Makarfi. So far, we are impressed with what we have seen.
“And we have seen a lot of dedication by the ministry and also by the contractor trying to deliver the project in time. We understand that the deadline given to them is 2025 or 2026. But we are hoping that by 2025, if they sustain the tempo, they will be able to deliver.”
However, the senator acknowledged the challenges connected with the project, most importantly the funding arrangement.
He disclosed that there were plans underway to discuss with the Debt Management Office (DMO), the Minister of Finance, the Attorney General of the Federation and the Minister of Transportation to smoothen the financial rough edged.
A member of House Representatives Mrs. Blessing Onuh, said: “They need funding for the job to be completed to meet the timeline. And we as the House and also the Senate will be doing everything that we can to ensure that we attend to this issue as soon as possible.”
Meanwhile, the Minister of Transportation, Said Alkali, said: “They(lawmakers )have seen it by themselves, so that by the time we get to the budget session, most of the issues they will raise on the projects they have seen it by themselves.
“That will make it much more easier for us to defend what the ministry is doing in terms of the railway modernization project. The President is desirous in ensuring that these projects are completed and being put into use, transportation being an enabler of economic growth and a gateway to the nation’s economy. It’s, of course, one of the eight priority areas of the President’s administration.
“On the third issue, the ministry and, of course, the Nigerian Railway Corporation are working hard to ensure that these vandals do not destroy our properties. We are deploying so many major surveillance in conjunction with the security agencies to ensure that these properties are not allowed to be vandalized.”