By Aisha Cole
The Minister of Transportation, Mr Muazu Sambo, has said that the Federal Government would soon commission the rolling stock assembly plant at Prof. Yemi Osinbajo Station, Kajola, Ogun State.
Sambo said this during an inspection tour to all standard gauge facilities between Lagos and Ibadan on Thursday.
He said that the establishment of the rolling stock station would create room for knowledge transfer which would enable Nigerians to learn how to build the wagons.
“We don’t need to import the wagons into the country anymore, there is also economic benefit for the establishment of the rolling stock.
“Nigerians will also be learning how to build the wagon, locomotive, coaches and by so doing will create employment while improving the capacity of the train wagons.
“For us to increase the capacity of the railway, we need the wagons, we need to repair and assemble wagons.
” The technology that is being done abroad will be replicated in Nigeria and many jobs will be created for the youths,” Sambo said.
Recall that Vice President Yemi Osinbajo had performed the Official Ground Breaking Ceremony for the construction of the plant in Kajola, in 2019, describing it as not just another event, but a historic turning point.
Sambo also revealed that he had visited the Comptroller General of Customs, retired Col. Hameed Alli, to discuss on a number of issues affecting the completion of the last two tracks that linked the seaport to bring cargo out of the ports.
He said the issue of the scanner rooms affecting the completion of the track in Apapa was being looked into.
The minister said that the scanner centre used radioactive materials which had to be removed in a controlled condition.
Sambo said he would intensify efforts to revisit the Customs CG and clear the matter, as the government was concerned about the linkage for freight haulage through the ports.
He said that President Muhammadu Buhari had said that his administration would work till the end of his tenure to crate enabling environment for business to thrive. (NAN)
