Okhiria made this known during an inspection visit to the project site in Port Harcourt on Saturday.

The project, spearheaded by the China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC), has progressed according to schedule, and assurances have been given that commuters will be able to travel seamlessly between Port Harcourt and Aba via train by the conclusion of March.

Okhiria underscored the strategic importance of this rail link, emphasising its potential to enhance transportation efficiency and connectivity.

He also revealed plans to expand the rail network by linking the Onne Port, a move that aims to facilitate the movement of goods to key cities such as Aba, Umuahia, and Enugu.

“What I can tell Nigerians is that we were able to ride on a train, unlike last time when we went by road to Aba. We went on a train to Elelewa because we had other things to do,” he said.

“We looked at the Port Harcourt Port and see how we are going to access Onne from Elelewa. We did that and compared it to make they had put on ground as a preliminary design. Physical siting will make us make a quick decision on a final design so that we will be able to recommend to the minister for approval.

“We just finished a meeting now and the timeline and everything. We are putting pressure that by the end of March, we should be able to start. That is what we have in mind.”

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The Federal Government of Nigeria through its Executive Council has approved the provision and installation of baggage scanners at all railway stations in the country at a cost of N495 million.

Minister of State for Transportation, Ademola Adegoroye stated this at a briefing on Wednesday, shortly after the council meeting presided over by the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo.

According to Adegoroye, the devices had become imperative because of the need to advance the security of lives and property in the nation’s railway facilities and in continuation of the railway revolution in the sector.

The FEC also gave approval for the maintenance of the pavement of the third mainland bridge in the sum of N6.278 billion naira to be completed within 24 months.

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The Dhaka-bound train, as learnt hit the van in Ullahpara, some 145 kilometres (90 miles) away from the capital, as 14 people were returning home from a wedding ceremony, local police chief Koushik Ahmed said.

As the van neared an unmanned railway crossing without noticing the rushing train approaching, the crash occurred leaving eight people including the bride and the groom dead on spot.

“Another two (injured) died in the hospital and the rest were injured,” he told AFP.

Fatal railway accidents are common in the South Asian country where some 40 percent of the approximately 2,500 rail crossings are unmanned.

According to police, nearly 6,000 people died in railway accidents on the country’s 2,800-kilometres (1,730-mile) rail network in the last six and a half years.

AFP

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The correspondent was given first aide treatment at the venue by the Red Cross and returned to cover the assignment.

According to her, President Buhari who performed the inauguration restated the Federal Government’s commitment to vigorously pursue rail development in Nigeria through the implementation of the railway master plan.

Buhari said this during the commissioning of additional locomotives and coaches at Rigasa Station in Kaduna State.

He noted that the Abuja-Kaduna rail line was a major achievement because it has met the needs of the masses, just as he reiterated his administration’s commitment to linking all major commercial and production centres by rail for rapid social economic development and improving the quality of life of the citizens as well as improving the national integration.

Buhari said, “you may also recall that during the commissioning in July 2016, I reiterated our commitment to vigorously pursue rail development in Nigeria through the implementation of the 25 years strategic Railway Master Plan.

“ We are encouraging private sector participation in Railway with negotiation ongoing with the General Electric (GE) on the concessioning of the narrow gauge lines.

“We are moving forward to more efficient narrow gauge lines to be driven by the private sector, it’s on the basis of this, that we are creating a more conducive environment for private sector participation.

“By strengthening our legal and regulatory frameworks and we reassure Nigerians that we are committed in linking all commercial sector with railway which will improve the quality of life and bring about national integration”, the President added.

The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi assured that the two locomotives and 10 coaches would resolve the high demand of passengers on the Abuja-Kaduna train service.

He stressed that the commissioning is a clear demonstration of a functional transport system which is the administration mandate.

Also, he explained that the train was carrying 1,280 passengers on a round trip daily noting that these new coaches would help improve their services and some coaches will also be deployed to Warri-Itakpe Standard gauge line.

Amaechi further maintained that with this new executive coaches, express train service will be introduced with only one stop at Kubwa station and the problem of racketeering on that route will be resolved.

In a related development, the minister disclosed that the Warri-Itakpe rail line would be completed in Sept. 2018 as work is progressing on the Lagos-Kano rail line.

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