British firm, FG to assemble 200 locomotives in Nigeria

British firm, FG to assemble 200 locomotives in
Nigeria

ABUJA -The Federal Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, with a British conglomerate, General Electric Company (Transportation), to assemble 200 locomotives in Nigeria.
Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar, who disclosed this at a media briefing to showcase the mid term achievements of the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan, under his ministry in Abuja yesterday, said the locomotives were to be assembled over a period of ten years under a special country- to-country relationship.
Describing the MoU as investment incentive, the minister explained that the agreement also covered upgrading and development of a multi-modal locomotives' assembly facility in Nigeria.
Senator Umar said further that the government had already procured 25 new locomotives from General Electric, with 366 coaches and wagons refurbished to service the existing rail, adding that the country was expecting the arrival of four new locomotives next month.
According to him, "order is placed for two sets of Diesel Multiply Units, DMUs, of capacity of 640 passengers each to arrive in December 2013.
"Order placed for the procurement of six modern air conditioned coaches with capacity of 68 seaters each to arrive in December 2013."
The minister said President Jonathan had approved the remodeling and redevelopment of major railway stations to incorporate modern commercial outlets under Private Public Partnership, PPP, arrangement.
Umar, who noted that the process for the engagement of the PPP will soon commence, named the railway stations to be remodelled and redeveloped to include, Ido Terminal in Lagos State, Ebute Metta junction station in Lagos, Ilorin station, Kaduna junction station, Kano State, Port Harcourt station, Enugu station, Jos station and Gombe station.
On construction of standard gauge lines, the minister said the completion of the construction and rehabilitation of 274 kilometre standard gauge line from Itakpe-Ajaokuta-Warri had reached 77% completion.
He said: "The construction of Abuja, Idu-Kaduna standard gauge line (187 kilometres) is 65% completed. The contract for the construction of double track 180 kilometres Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge line has been awarded and work will commence this year.
"The nation's navigable waterways lining more than 20 states and comprising of 12 major rivers, creeks, lagoons, lakes and intra-coastal waters aggregate to a total navigable distance of over 3,800 km constituting an important natural resource that offers extensive opportunities for inland water transportation.
"The Federal Government has completed the capital dredging of the Lower River Niger from Warri in Delta State to Baro in Niger State to facilitate all-year navigability. The channel runs through major towns such as warri, Onitsha, Agenebode, Ida, Jamata, and Baro."
He said maintenance dredging for the 572 kilometres waterways was currently in progress, adding that
there was bulk cargo transportation on the dredged river now with a movement of 1,200 tones of ceramic tiles from Lokoja to Onitsha by Messrs Ninon Transport Company.
On ports development, Senator Umar noted that the Federal Government was currently making efforts to develop Deep Sea Ports in partnership with the private sector at Lekki and Badagry in Lagos State, Ibaka in Akwa ibom, Obidigbe in Delta, Olokola in Ogun and Ondo as well as Agge in Bayelsa States.
He said the current policy of port development was on equity participation of 20% federal government, 20% host state and 60% private sector.