By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, has been summoned to appear before the Senate to explain why the eastern rail corridor was omitted from the ongoing rail projects in the country by the Federal Government.
This followed a motion moved yesterday by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, who alleged that the region was not included in the project.
He appealed to his colleagues to stop the move by the government to obtain a loan of $5.851 billion from China Exim Bank.
The FG had planned to use the loan to carry out the modernisation of Lagos-Kano, Kano-Kaduna, Lagos-Ibadan and Lagos-Calabar rail segments.
Mr Abaribe argued that since the government plans to repay the loan from all sections of the country, it was proper for every region to be taken into consideration in the project.
But Chairman of the Senate Committee on Land Transport, Mr Gbenga Ashafa, faulted Mr Abaribe’s claim, saying all areas of the federation were taken into consideration.
According to him, the rail infrastructure as approved initially, from Lagos to Calabar and Lagos to Kano, considered Aba and Onitsha.
He said the Lagos-Calabar coastal space cuts through Obudu Cattle Ranch, Calabar, Uyo, Aba, Port Harcourt, Yenagoa, Otuoke, Ughelli, Sapele, Benin, Agbor, Asaba and Onitsha.
The lawmaker further explained that the rail also connects Benin to Ore, Ijebu Ode, Shagamu and Lagos seaports.
