On Tuesday, the Federal Government initiated the commencement of commercial train services on the Port Harcourt-Aba railway line to cater to the needs of the general public.
At the Railway Station in Port Harcourt, Senator Alkali, the Minister of Transportation, officially inaugurated the start of commercial services on the 62.0-kilometre Port-Harcourt to Aba corridor.
Alkali mentioned that the event was a key component of the increased effort by the Federal Government to promote trade, improve transportation, and establish better connections between the southern and northeastern regions of the country.
He said, “Due to several technical and contractual issues, the project commenced in March 2022.
“It is worthy to note that the scope of the project covers the rehabilitation of the existing narrow gauge railway line, the construction of new modern stations, and the procurement of new modern rolling stock.
“This railway line will also link the ports of Onne, Bonny, and Port-Harcourt to facilitate the evacuation of goods and other freight through the Eastern Corridor.
“The Federal Government, in the contractual agreement, is to provide 15 per cent of the direct construction cost, inclusive of land acquisition and value-added tax, while a bank loan through direct construction cost is to cover 85 per cent of the project.”
