The Federal Ministry of Transport says it is committed to completing and commissioning the Kano-Daura rail project by December 2026, despite challenges relating to security and land acquisition.
The Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Engr. Funsho Adebiyi, represented by the Director of Rail Transport Services, Engr. Habiba Buhari, stated this during an inspection of the ongoing project on Wednesday.
Buhari said the inspection was conducted in collaboration with officials of the Federal Ministry of Finance and the project’s lenders to monitor progress and assess the level of implementation.
“We are targeting the commissioning of the project by December, God willing, and there is no going back. We are on course,” she said.
She explained that achieving physical progress on major infrastructure projects required substantial work, especially during the rainy season, adding that the ministry was optimistic that the remaining track-laying activities would not take much time.
The director, however, identified insecurity in some sections of the project corridor and land-related issues around Kano as major challenges affecting the pace of work.
According to her, the ministry has intensified engagement with stakeholders to address concerns arising from the use of the Land Use Act and ensure that construction activities proceed smoothly.
Also speaking, Mr Dalhat Mohammed, Director in the Office of the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Finance, who represented the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mr Raymond Omachi, said the monitoring exercise was aimed at evaluating the progress and funding of the project.
Mohammed said discussions with the construction company indicated that funds were being released as and when due, noting that substantial financial resources had already been committed to the project.
He described the rail project as strategic, important and timely, stressing that its completion would generate significant economic benefits for the country.
He said under the financing arrangement, the Federal Government was expected to provide 15 per cent of the project cost, while the facility would provide the remaining 85 per cent.
Mohammed said the level of work achieved so far demonstrated the Federal Government’s commitment to meeting its financial obligations, particularly under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He said the government remained committed to projects capable of directly impacting Nigerians and contributing to economic development.
Mohammed noted that the project covered about 284 kilometres, adding that the length and strategic importance of the rail line justified the investment being made by the Federal Government.
During the tour the permanent secretaries and their entourage test runned the train from kazaure to Daura ,and also inspected several ongoing facilities on the project.
ABDULLAHI JALALUDDEEN KANO
