FG to complete eastern railway before end of 2013

Kogi and Anambra states request they be included in the line.

The rehabilitation of the eastern railway corridor from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri is to be completed before end of 2013, the federal government has said.

The Minister of Transport, Idris Umar, gave the information when he received the governors of Kogi and Anambra States, Idris Wada and Peter Obi.

The governors were at the ministry to solicit the inclusion of Onitsha and Ayangba in the 25 years railway development master plan, aimed at transforming the transport sector.

The minister said the master plan was not sacrosanct in principle and as such technical experts in the ministry would look into the request of the governors as soon as possible.

The governors commended the ministry on the successful rehabilitation of the western rail line from Lagos to Kano and looked forward to the completion of other lines.

Mr. Wada commended the federal government for the completion of the dredging of the Lower River Niger from Lokoja to Onitsha and the development of an inland Jetty at Idah, Kogi.

Mr. Wada also informed the minister that the state had set up a committee to look into safety steps to ensure smooth inland water transportation of passengers, especially between Kogi and Nasarawa States.
The governor, however, said that the state was in the process of acquiring necessary boats for safe transportation.

The statement added that the National Inland Waterways Authority, Lokoja, and the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Lagos, would collaborate to prevent boat mishaps in the country.