BREAKING: President Buhari Inaugurates Warri-Itakpe Railway Project

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday inauguraed the Itakpe-Ajaokuta-Agbor-Warri railway project virtually.

The event took place vitually on Tuesday, September 29, 2020, in a bid to prevent the spread of Coronavirus by adhering strictly by the guidelines, outlined by NCDC.

The virtual event took place at the Agbor station of the rail line which was named after former President,  Goodluck Jonathan.

Speaking at the event, President Buhari urged Nigerians to support his administration’s vision for the provision of infrastructure

He also added that maintenance and safety culture is necessary for such facilities. The President also urged stakeholders in the iron and steel sector and agricultural sectors to maximize the benefits, provided for them at their doorstep.

Resuscitating the iron and steel complex in Ajaokuta, President Buhari also congratulated the minister of transport, Rotimi Amaechi, and the host communities for the completion of the project.

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Speaking at the event, minister of transportation, Rotimi Amaechi mantained that he received a directive from the president in 2015, to ensure an effective transportation system, especially railway.

“We have to appreciate the unrelenting intervention of President Muhammadu Buhari.

“The entire project was met in the state of decay in 2015, with the entire infrastructure moribund.

“Now, we have communication gadgets, medical equipment, water for workers and all other things to make the railway and stations run effectively, ” Amaechi said.

These photos of the Railway Ancillary Facility Yard and the Railway Village in Agbor are from a while back, pre-commissioning. #ItakpeWarriRail pic.twitter.com/QMHQVSllQh

— Tolu Ogunlesi (@toluogunlesi) September 29, 2020

Recall that the 276-kilometres railway-line was first awarded in 1987. The railway line was originally designed for the transportation of Iron Ore to Ajaokuta (Kogi) and Aladja steel Rolling mills (Delta state). It was also designed to transport processed steel to the port in Warri, also in Delta state.

In 2009, the construction of the Itakpe-Warri railway line began again. The Goodluck Jonathan-led administration approved N33bn for the redesign and completion of the remaining 22 kilometres.

The contract for the construction of the railway line was awarded. It was awarded to Team Nigeria and Julius Berger PLC. The project was meant to be delivered in March 2013.

However, the railway line was redesigned to provide passenger service. It was originally conceived as a cargo rail.

After the change of Federal Government in 2015, The project was abandoned. It was abandoned after 70% completion due to lack of funds.

In 2017, the Buhari administration announced that it will fund the revival of the Itakpe-Warri rail line at a cost estimate of N72 billion.

The project was re-awarded to three construction firms. They are Julius Berger, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), and ZTE.

The railway line will connect 3 states: Kogi, Edo and Delta, and ultimately the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

Meanwhile, KanyiDaily had reported also that President Muhammadu Buhari declared his final decision on CAMA law