FG Plans to Award Rail Contract in N/Delta
- By Simeon Ogoegbulem
- Published March 29th, 2010
- News
- Unrated
THE federal government of Nigeria has flagged of process that will culminate to the award of contract for the construction of coastal railway line in the Niger Delta region of the country. BusinessWorld Intelligence can disclose that the proposed rail line will cover seven states of the Niger Delta.
The 420 kilometre rail line will cover the state of Edo (Benin City), Bayelsa (Yenogoa), Rivers (Port Harcourt), Akwa Ibom (Uyo) and Cross River (Calabar). The rail project, which will be on standard gauge, will also run through Delta (Warri and Sapele) as well as Abia (Aba).
Presidency sources said the move to construct the rail line is in line with government’s commitment to the infrastructural development of the oil rich region. Government is also embarking on the project as part of its post amnesty intervention in the region.
The federal government, through its transport ministry, will invite reputable firms to bid for the contract for the construction of the railway line. According to the contract document, the contact would involve the design, survey and construction of the railway line.
Experts said the project which will have over 20 stations located along the route of the project, upon completion, would positively affect the lives of the people in the region. Government has, in the past, come under serious attack from both local and international development experts for the deplorable state of the region that accounts for over 85 per cent of its foreign exchange earnings.
The 420 kilometre rail line will cover the state of Edo (Benin City), Bayelsa (Yenogoa), Rivers (Port Harcourt), Akwa Ibom (Uyo) and Cross River (Calabar). The rail project, which will be on standard gauge, will also run through Delta (Warri and Sapele) as well as Abia (Aba).
Presidency sources said the move to construct the rail line is in line with government’s commitment to the infrastructural development of the oil rich region. Government is also embarking on the project as part of its post amnesty intervention in the region.
The federal government, through its transport ministry, will invite reputable firms to bid for the contract for the construction of the railway line. According to the contract document, the contact would involve the design, survey and construction of the railway line.
Experts said the project which will have over 20 stations located along the route of the project, upon completion, would positively affect the lives of the people in the region. Government has, in the past, come under serious attack from both local and international development experts for the deplorable state of the region that accounts for over 85 per cent of its foreign exchange earnings.
