President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed delight that train services were back in Nigeria as was the case in the 80s.

Buhari showed his pleasure while commissioning the Abuja – Kaduna railway track which also coincided with the flagging off of the Abuja-Kaduna at Idu Industrial layout located within the precinct of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

He said the project would impact on the lives of the Abuja residents as well as Kaduna State, saying rail project which was initiated by the previous administrations but completed and delivered by his government was in line with the agenda of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

While commending the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi for a job well done, president Buhari remarked that the most State Capital would be linked to the gauge rail.
He hoped that the new project would improve the lives of the rural dwellers that he said could easily evacuate their farm produce to the city centres for sale.

The president also promised to give due attention to the old 3,505km narrow gauge rail line and other rail lines including the major Lagos-Calabar and Kano-Lagos lines.

The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi and his team have put great efforts in the last few months to ensure the successful completion of this project under this Administration” “In this regard, I wish to assure Nigerians that most State capitals and major commercial and production centres will be linked with railway system as a way of bringing about rapid socio-economic development and improving the quality of life of the Nigerians and promoting social & regional integration.

“I wish to also reassure Nigerians that due attention will be placed on pursuing the 25-Year Strategic Railway Master Plan which is aimed at rehabilitating the existing 3,505km narrow gauge rail line and developing and constructing new standard gauge rail lines across the country.

“As we celebrate the symbolic return of rail service today I wish to reiterate the commitment of this Administration to pursue with greater vigour and determination rehabilitation and construction of other rail lines including the major Lagos-Calabar and Kano-Lagos lines.

In his opening speech, the Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi who undertook a test-ride of the train service from Idu Main Station to Kubwa in Abuja with Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, senate president, Bukola Saraki and FCT Minister Abubakar Bello along other dignitaries.

Amaechi, “This rail line will no doubt impact on housing n as the poor are able to live in their houses in Kaduna and come to work in Abuja. As the same time, it will impact on agriculture and the economy as agricultural produce is conveyed from Kaduna to Abuja at much cheaper rates.”

Transportation is also provided for majority of Nigeria who live between Kano and Abuja at a cheaper rate. I hope that when the Kaduna-Abuja road is maintained, it would last longer as heavy cargos are now conveyed by rail.” It would be recall that that an agreement was signed between Nigeria and the CCECC of China for construction of a standard gauge Lagos-Kaduna rail line, costing $8.3 billion.

The project was for upgrade of the entire rail system to standard gauge, covering a 25-year period.

The project included the Port Harcourt-Kano line and the additional, Lagos-Calabar line (East-West). Contract for the Abuja-Kaduna standard rail project was awarded in 2010 under the government of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

Indeed, the actual construction did not start till 2011. It is an $874 million project with an Exim Bank China facility of $500 million. Nigeria was expected to pay the balance of the total sum.

The Project was scheduled for completion in 2014 In line with this, the Amaechi said, “We recall that the contract for Lagos to Kano railways was awarded by President Olusegun Obasanjo, partially executed by President Goodluck Jonathan and completed by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Under the directives of President Buhari, the stations, the signalling, the communications and part of the tracks were completed by this administration.”

Commenting on the collaborative efforts of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), The FCT Minister, Mohammed Bello said the Abuja light rail project which has been conceived in 6 blocks is currently under phase 1 which is approximately 77% completed and by the grace of God will hope to be here sometime in December 2017 that we will flag off the entire system.

Also, the Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai in appreciation of the flag-off as witnessed by him said that the vision of the Obasanjo administration at the time was to have a brand new standard gauge rail system for Nigeria, running from north to south, east to west, covering the entire country.

“The first phase was the Lagos-Kano rail at a price of about $8billion if I recall and it was supposed to be completed in 4years. Sadly our successors did not fight, understand or share in this vision and the project was suspended and the result is that 10years after awarding this contract we are standing here today to commission a fraction of that project.

On his part, the Managing director of CCECC, Jack Li said the construction company attached the great importance to the actualization of this first section of Nigeria railway modernization project.

“During construction, more than 1,000 sets of machinery and equipment were mobilized, over 5,000 jobs created during the construction period and during its operation.

More than 1,000 permanent jobs were created additional to over 10,000 job opportunity that will come as a result of this train operation.” “This no doubt will boost the economy and it will contribute immensely to the job creation scheme of the present administration.

A Nollywood actor, Francis Duru commended the Federal Government for completing the 187 kilometre Abuja-Kaduna rail line project.

Duru also called on President Mohammadu Buhari’s administration to execute more of such projects to make life better for Nigerians.

The Nollywood actor said the coming to life of the Abuja-Kaduna rail line goes a long way to state the obvious fact that government is all about continuity; the present government did well.

Duru emphasised that Nigerians should start looking at the country beyond their personal political inclination or philosophy.

He explained that the day Nigerians begin to own the nation; that day the country would start growing as a nation.

The Nollywood actor also called for prayers for people in authority, regardless of our political affiliation or personal preferences.

According to him, Nigeria does not belong to any political party, it belongs to the people that constitute the country; if those in authority fail, it will get back to us.