Christmas: Nigerian govt acquires new locomotives, coaches to ease rail transport

FROM LEFT: Board Chairman of Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Usman Abubakar; Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi; Site Engineer, China civil Engineering and construction Company, Xu Kun; and Managing Director of NRC, Fidel Okheria, during inspection of Lagos-Ibadan Rail project section two by the Minister at Ewekoro area of Ogun on Tuesday (12/12/17). 06738/12/12/2017/Okoya Olatunde/BJO/NAN

The Nigerian government will soon commission two rail locomotives and 10 coaches to ease transport among Nigerians ahead of the Yuletide celebration.

The minister of transport, Rotimi Amaechi, made this known on Tuesday in Papalantoro, Ogun State.

Mr. Amaechi spoke with journalists during a tour of the Federal Government rail project in Ogun state.

The minister said the government had received delivery of the locomotives and coaches.

“The president will be commissioning it this December. We want to make sure that those travelling from Abuja to Kaduna are able to use the new coaches and locomotives,” he said.

The minister, who examined the level of work done by the contractors, expressed worry over the rate at which the project is being executed.

He, however, assured Nigerians that the December 2018 deadline set for the completion of the project still holds, saying the contractors would need to intensify their efforts.

The minister also assured that none of the contractors is being owed by the government.

More details later….