Mr Rotimi Ameachi , the minister of transportation and the Dan Amana of Daura-designate, said his turbanning as the Dan Amana of Daura, which translate to the “Trusted Son of Daura” is an act of appreciation for all the work he has done for the people.
According to Leadership, Amaechi who will be turbanned on Saturday at the palace of the Emir of Daura, said it gives him joy when people appreciate the good transformation in the transportation sector under him.
On some of the challenges he has faced while doing the rail projects across the country, the minister said: “I have never denied that we are having financial challenges and that is because of economic downturn. The Chinese are not finding the way they used to do, up till now, we are yet to conclude on loans for the Kano to Kaduna project, so we are funding it from the budget.
“We are putting pressure on all the necessary institutions that used to give us funds. And hopefully, before May, we will be able to get enough funds to complete the project.”
Speaking further on the project and the target for completion, he said: “I agree that if we fund them, they must complete the work. They must do what they agreed that they will do. The conversation we had with them is that that they must break this work into parts so that everybody will be working at the same time. If they do that, I am sure that before May, 2023 we will have commercial activity on the track.
“The route will be used to convey both passengers and cargos. The most economic nerve centers in the country is Kano and Lagos. This is why this track is the most economically viable track.
“The economic activities that take place in Kano can be conveyed to Lagos and vice versa those who produce in Lagos can have their products conveyed to Kano. This will create jobs and the cost of land here will not be the same.”
On the quality of work, the minister said: “In terms of quality, they are not doing badly, I don’t know if I should attribute that to the inspection by the TEAM, but you must also credit CCECC. That is why we insist that TEAM must be present at every meeting. TEAM has the final say, not the minister.
“We insist the Chinese should bring enough equipment because what we suffered in Lagos Ibadan was because equipment was breaking down and they could not palace orders for new ones but for this one, they should bring all the equipment that they need so that as it breaks down, they replace.”
Speaking plans for intra-city rail transportation, the minister said: “the two states likely to benefit from intra city rail transport are Rivers and Lagos states. The Lagos route terminates in Calabar, the Port Harcourt rail will terminate in Maiduguri because the rail will take part of the city this way and part of the city that way same way with Rivers state. You see that at a point Lagos to Calabar will have to meet with Port Harcourt railway and run side by side inside some part of these major cities.”
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