A rail line connecting Makurdi in Nigeria’s central
region to Port Harcourt in the south has become operational, adding to
the number of rail lines that the Nigerian government
has resuscitated in the last few years.
Commissioning the Makurdi- Port Harcourt rail line in Makurdi, the
capital of Benue State on Monday, Vice President Namadi Sambo said the
President Goodluck Jonathan-led administration had vowed to continue
with the transformation agenda in the area of rail transport system
until all Nigerians have access to train services.
Mr Sambo said that the Federal Government would ensure the completion
of another line, the Port Harcourt through Enugu-Makurdi to Kaduna
line, before the end of President Jonathan’s administration.
The Vice President also declared that all rail network from the
eastern rail line, through Makurdi to Kaduna and linking Kano to Lagos
western line would all be connected.
For the host governor, Mr Gabriel Suswam, it was a dream come true,
as he had the opportunity to ride on the train for the first time.
He said that President Jonathan’s administration had restored the rail system for Nigerians.
The Nigerian Railway Corporation gave further assurances that the
train would keep running twice a week along the route, noting that the
failed cooling system in one of the five coaches will be rectified.
After cutting the tape, the Vice President, in company of the leaders
of the Peoples Democratic Party, including former chairman, Bamanga
Turkur, Senators’ Ahmadu Ali, Idris Umar and the Minister of Interior,
Abba Moro, took a test drive to the administrative office of the
Corporation in Makurdi.
The newly introduced five coaches train of 68 seater imported from
China, according to the managing director of the Nigerian Railway
Corporation, is part of the completion process of the Makurdi-Port
Harcourt eastern line that will link several communities.
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