The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the award of contract for the proposed Kano to Maradi, Niger Republic rail line via Katsina and to Dutse, Jigawa State, at a total cost of $1.9bn, inclusive of 7.5% VAT.
The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, disclosed this on Wednesday while briefing State House correspondents at the end of 16th virtual FEC meeting chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The proposed rail line from Kano in Nigeria to Maradi in Niger Republic will cover a track length of 248 kilometres.
Amaechi said another memo was approved by FEC for the Ministry of Transportation on the award of contract for the design, manufacture, supply, testing and commissioning of one railway crane of 150 ton capacity for emergency and recovery of rolling stocks.
The minister said the contract was awarded at a total cost of N3.04bn.
Meanwhile, Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, said the council has also approved the contract for the construction of Umuahia/Bende/Ohafia road in Abia State at N12bn.
“The memorandum presented by the Ministry of Works and Housing today is for the Section two of the Ohafia to Arochukwu road.
“This section comprises Umuahia/Bende/Ohafia road in Abia State and it was approved for construction at N12.088 billion comprising a distance of 45 kilometers to complement Section One which was previously awarded in 2018, that is the section from Bende/Arochukwu to Ohafia which was 19.27 kilometers.
“So, with this award now, the entire length of the road is now under contract with the same contractor and we hope for expeditious execution,” Fashola added.
