The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved contracts worth 1.3 billion Naira for consultancy services for the designs of six standard gauge rail lines across Nigeria.
The contracts were approved at the Council’s meeting presided by President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday in Abuja.
Speaking with newsmen after the meeting, the Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar, said that the six rail lines covering about a distance of 4,430 kilometres, were in addition to seven earlier lots approved by the council last year.
The railway lines covered by the new contracts include Kano-Dayi-Katsina-Jibiya rail line; Ilela-Sokoto-Jega-Yauti-Makera rail line; Aba-Ikot Ekpene-Ibiono-Itu(spur line to Uyo)-Odupkani-Calabar rail line; Kano-Nguru-Gashua-Damaturu/Gamborun-Ngala rail line; calabar-Ikom-Obudu-Ogoja-Katsina Ala-Wukari-Jalingo-Yola-Maiduguri rail line and the Port Harcourt-Aba-Umuahia-Enugu-Makurdi-Lafia-jos-Bauchi-Gombe-Biu-maiduguri rail line.
The projects are expected to be completed within six months.