President Muhammadu Buhari has said that Kano – Maradi rail, when completed, will significantly enhance the movement of passengers and freight to the hinterland especially raw materials from both agricultural and mineral resources for our industries.
He stated this on Tuesday at the ground-breaking ceremony of Kano-Katsina-Jibiya-Maradi (Niger Republic) rail with branch line from Kano to Dutse.
The full speech of the president reads:
PROTOCOL:
• The delegates from Niger Republic
• The Executive Governors here present
• Honourable Ministers, Royal Fathers
• Leaders of the National and State House of Assembly
• Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen
I am delighted to preside over the groundbreaking ceremony for commencement of the construction of yet another vital transportation infrastructure.The rail line that traverses the major commercial and administrative centre of Kano and passing through other economic hubs of the country including Kazaure, Daura, Katsina and up to the border town of Jibiya and the Niger Republic city of Maradi.
The cities of Jibiya and Maradi constitute a significant trading core between Nigeria and Niger Republic – a tradition dating back many centuries.
This vital infrastructure line will establish an end-to-end logistic supply chain in railway transport services between Northern and Southern regions of the country, reaching Nigerian southern ports of Lagos and Warri.
The entire route encompasses territory inhabited by close to 80 million people across 10 states of the country. This project has a branch line to Dutse the capital of Jigawa state to open up this corridor which is endowed with vast resources.(Sundiatapost)
