Rotimi Amaechi, minister of transportation, says General Electric (GE) and the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation Ltd (CCECC), will build universities of transportation in Nigeria.
Speaking at The Osasu Show symposium in Abuja on Friday, Amaechi said the government is not only focusing on making the rail lines in Nigeria work, but also building capacity for Nigerians.
The minister said the two major construction companies building the rails across Nigeria, will also build universities of transportation to train and empower Nigerians to build locomotives in about 10 to 15 years.
Amaechi said by the end of 2017, CCECC will be taking about 100 Nigerians to China to learn at undegraduate, postgraduate and PhD levels to return to Nigeria as faculty for the university of transportation.
The former governor of Rivers state however added tthat Nigeria’s fabrication of locomotive as taught at the upcoming universities will be hinged on the ability of the Ajaokuta Stell mill to function effectively.
“In the next 10 to 15 years, we should be able to fabricate locomotives, fabricate coaches — but in fabricating locomotives and coaches, we need to fix Ajaokuta steel mill,” Amaechi said.
The minister also revealed that CCECC will deliver on the Lagos-Ibadan segment of the Lagos-Kano rail line by December 2018.
He said the development of Nigeria’s rail infrastructure will create many jobs and grow the nation’s economy.
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