FG approves N453.90bn for Kano-Maradi rail corridor

By Seun Ibiyemi

A total of N453.90 billion was approved today by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) for the purchase of rolling stock, operational, and maintenance equipment for the currently under-construction Kano-Maradi standard gauge rail line.

The Minister of Transportation, Mu’azu Jaji Sambo, disclosed this to State House Correspondents after this week’s Federal Executive Council meeting chaired by the President, Muhammadu Buhari GCFR, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Sambo explained that “The Federal Ministry of Transportation this afternoon presented two memoranda to council on behalf of two of its agencies.

“The first agency was the Nigerian Ports Authority, which sought to provide for the award of a contract for the construction and supply of customised Fire Service search and rescue vans for extrication of accident victims for Rivers ports in Port Harcourt, Lagos Port Complex, Tincan Island Port and the Marina headquarters, all in Lagos.

“Council considered the memorandum and approved the award of the contract as recommended and reviewed by the Bureau of Public Procurement and the sum of N510,934,600 naira inclusive of seven and a half per cent VAT and with a completion period of nine months in favour of Messrs All Works Commercial Company Limited.”

He noted that the second memorandum presented by the Ministry was for the ultimate management by the Nigerian Railway Corporation.

“The memorandum sought the council’s consideration and approval for the award of contract for the procurement of rolling stock, operation or maintenance equipment for the Kanio-Maradi standard gauge rail line that is currently under construction.

“The contract was awarded to MSSRs Mota Engineering Nigeria Limited, who are the contractors handling this particular project in the sum of $984,722,302.5 inclusive of seven and a half per cent VAT with a completion period of four years,” he said.