FG approves N1.1bn for two standard gauge locomotives

The Federal Government on Wednesday approved the sum of N1.1 billion for two standard gauge locomotives for the new standard gauge rail lines being constructed across the country.

This is even as the Federal Government disclosed that a total of 591 Nigerians have volunteered to join the international force that will go to Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea to help out with the containment of the Ebola virus disease (EVD).

This was disclosed by Labaran Maku, the minister of information, who while briefing journalists after the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, said the health and transport sectors dominated the discussion at the meeting.

Maku, who briefed journalists alongside the ministers of transport, Idris Umar, and health, Onyebuchi Chukwu, said following a memo by the minister of transport, council gave the approval for the award of contract for the design, manufacture and commissioning of two new diesel locomotives with built in power packs and standard gauge of 1435mm for the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC).

The contract was awarded in favour of Messrs CNR Darling Locomotives and Rolling Stock Limited, and CCECC Nig Ltd in the sum of N1.1 billion, with a delivery period of 10 months.

According to the transport minister, the two locomotives are to be used for mass transport services on the Abuja-Kaduna standard gauge rail line which is expected to be completed by the end of this year.

“The scope of work include the design and manufacturing of 2 number diesel electric locomotives with capacity of 2800 kilowatts for standard gauge tracks, training of 30 personnel for the Nigerian Railway Corporation on operation and maintenance of the locomotives, commissioning and test running in Nigeria, as well as one year maintenance and technical support with two resident technicians”, the minister said.

He also noted that government is fully committed to the revival of the Nigerian Railway Corporation and as such it is working assiduously to see the completion of the Abuja-Kaduna standard gauge line. “This is the first batch of the rolling stock that we are acquiring, specifically the locomotives to be used for the transportation of passengers and indeed freight from Abuja to Kaduna and vice versa”.