Kayode Opeifa, managing director of the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC), says the federal government will soon announce a major railway expansion plan, with new lines connecting multiple cities across the country.
Speaking on Saturday during ‘Sunrise Daily’, a programme on Channels Television, Opeifa said the new railway lines will come up in more cities “than we have ever seen”.
“States are even getting grants from the national government to develop their rail line and Lagos state is using track access on red line, he said.
“Kaduna is coming out very soon, Niger is supporting us on the narrow gauge, except for this last Mokwa flooding that disrupted. The plan was to take rail, this festival, three days ago to Minna and Ilorin and Offa so they are supporting on that.”
The NRC MD noted Ogun state’s rail link and highlighted new projects, including the Jos-Bukuru line in Plateau state.
“That is because this government supported the removal of rail from exclusive list to concurrent list. So state government not only now can develop rail on their own, they are also being supported by grants,” he said.
“In this current budget, 400 billion was allocated to support states. I know some states have benefited.
“What this government is doing is to make sure that the burden is no longer on the national government. However, the national government owes a duty to every Nigerian to connect the cities.”
He added that the government is developing rail infrastructure across regions, with plans almost ready for south-west and progress in south-east and north-east.
(Cable)
