Minister of Transportation announces FG approval of N453.90bn for Kano-Maradi rail

…seaports  get rescue vans

For the Kano-Maradi standard gauge rail line that is currently being constructed, the Federal Executive Council, on Wednesday, March 22nd, approved the sum of N453.90bn for the procurement of rolling stock, operation and maintenance equipment. 

The allocated money also included the  N510.93m for the procurement of four customised fire service search and rescue vans in sea ports at Port Harcourt, Lagos Port Complex, Tincan Island port and the Marina Headquarters of the Nigerian Ports Authority.

The Minister of Transportation, Mu’azu Sambo, disclosed this to State House Correspondents after sitting in on this week’s Council meeting chaired by the President, Muhammadu Buhari,  at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

Sambo explained that “The Federal Ministry of Transportation this afternoon presented two memoranda to council on behalf of two of its agencies.

“The  first agency was the Nigerian Ports Authority, which sought to provide for the award of a contract for the construction and supply of for customised Fire Service search and rescue vans for extrication of accident victims for Rivers ports in Port Harcourt, Lagos Port Complex, Tincan Island Port and the Marina headquarters, all in Lagos.

“Council considered the memorandum and approved the award of the contract as recommended and reviewed by the Bureau of Public Procurement and the sum of N510,934,600 Naira inclusive of seven and a half percent VAT and with a completion period of nine months in favour of Messrs All Works Commercial Company Limited.”

Sambo said  that the second memorandum presented by the Ministry was for the ultimate management by the Nigerian railway Corporation.

“The memorandum sought the council’s consideration and approval for the award of contract for the procurement of rolling stock, operation or maintenance equipment for the Kano-Maradi standard gauge rail line that is currently under construction.

“The contract was awarded to MSSRs Mota Engineering Nigeria Limited, who are the contractors handling this particular project in the sum of $984,722,302.5 inclusive of seven and a half per cent VAT with a completion period of four years,” he said.