Rail: UK Firm Gets FG’s Nod to Design, Construct, Port Harcourt, Enugu, Calabar, Abuja Corridor

Kasim Sumaina in Abuja

The federal government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Messrs MPH Rail Development (UK) to design, construct, inaugurate, operate and transfer the Port Harcourt, Enugu, Calabar and Abuja standard gauge rail line on public, private partnership (ppp) basis.

The MoU, the Ministry of Transportation disclosed was the first of its kind executed on its behalf by the Minister of Transportation, Senator Said Alkali, in company of the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Olufemi Oloruntola, the Director Rail Development, Zirra Fimbarr, the Director Legal Services, Pius Oteh and the Management of the company.

Alkali in a statement in Abuja by the Director, Press and Public Relations. Olujimi Oyetomi, noted that the memorandum was executed following the approval Outline Business Case and issuance of compliance certificate by the Infrastructure, Concession and Regulatory Commission (ICRC).
The development Alkali further explained would enable the company to concentrate on preparing relevant documents to support a request for approval of the Federal Executive Council to execute the project.

“The documents that are necessarily needed in furtherance of this initiative include comprehensive feasibility studies report, development of full Business Case Study, Environmental and Social Impact Assessment, Production of Resettlement Action Plan, the design of a Financial Model to execute the project and subsequent transfer to the federal government on PPP basis subject to 100 per cent funding with no loan or debt for or against the Nigerian government or any of its agencies.

“The project represents a landmark achievement for the Tinubu-led administration, which seeks to provide effective, efficient, affordable and sustainable rail transportation in Nigeria,” he explained.