In furtherance of its objective of linking the entire country by rail,the Federal Government has signed the Memorandum of Understanding with Mota- Engil Group for the construction of US$1.959 billion Kano-Maradi Standard Gauge Railway lines.
The Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi signed on behalf of the Federal Government while the Managing Director, Mota- Engil, Antonio Gvoea signed on behalf of the contracting firm ,Monday in Abuja.
A statement by Mr Eric Ojiekwe, Director press, ministry of transportation says the new railway will run through Kano, Jigawa and Katsina and through Niger territory as far as Maradi. Other cities that will be affected by the rail line in Nigeria are: Danbatta, Kazaure, Daura, Mashi, Katsina and Jibiya.
According to Ojiekwe, “the 283.750 kilometre rail line besides developing freight and passenger transport as it will be integrated with road transport, will make a great contribution to the local economy as well as an important development in the social sector”.
He said the project duration is for 36 months and the contract type is Engineering, Procurement and Construction.
The signing ceremony was witnessed by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Transportation, Dr. Magdalene Ajani and the Director, Legal Services, Pius Oteh, the Managing Director, Mota-Engil Group, Antonio Gvoea, Head of Legal, Mota- Engil Group, Cameron Beverley, Magajin Garin Kano, Muhammad Wada, Director, Mota-Engil Group, Kola Abdulkarim, Vice President, Mota-Engil Group. Mohammed Abdul-Razaq, Nigerian Ambassador to Germany, Yusfu Tuggar, the Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority, Hadiza Bala-Usman among other diginitaries.