PDP Congratulates Buhari On Formal Launch Of Abuja-Kaduna Railway

The opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari on the formal commissioning of the Abuja-Kaduna railway and the flag-off of commercial operations on it.

The president earlier on Tuesday commissioned the standard-gauge rail line at the train’s main station at Idu, Abuja with a promise to link all states and commercial centers in the country with rail lines.

The project, which was conceptualized by the Goodluck Jonathan administration and had reached advanced stage of completion before President Buhari took over power last year May, cost a whopping $874million with the China Export-Import Bank providing the sum of $500million as a concessionary loan.

The PDP, which congratulated Mr. Buhari via its official Twitter handle, also commended former President Jonathan, expressing the hope that the project fulfils his dreams of greater integration between the cities of Abuja and Kaduna.

1. Today, we congratulate @NGRPresident as he commissions the Abuja-Kaduna standard gauge rail line & flags off commercial operations on it.

— #VoteAndStay (@voteandstay) July 26, 2016

2. We particularly congratulate the people of Nigeria who can enjoy the benefits of this revolutionary project & service.

— #VoteAndStay (@voteandstay) July 26, 2016

3. We must commend former President @GEJonathan for
the conceptualisation & inception of the project as a standard gauge rail line. 1/2

— #VoteAndStay (@voteandstay) July 26, 2016

We sincerely hope the project fulfils the dreams he had of greater integration
between the cities of Abuja & Kaduna. 2/2

— #VoteAndStay (@voteandstay) July 26, 2016

4. We also commend @NOIweala for the work put into the structure & funding of the project. It is important to note that the structure…1/2

— #VoteAndStay (@voteandstay) July 26, 2016

… structure used ensured it didn’t suffer the fate of many projects before
it which were abandoned by successive administrations. 2/2

— #VoteAndStay (@voteandstay) July 26, 2016

5. The 185 km Abj-Kad standard gauge rail line is one of the first standard gauge rail lines in Nigeria & was constructed by CCECC.

— #VoteAndStay (@voteandstay) July 26, 2016

6. The project features cargo & passenger trains. 4000 people were employed during
construction & at inception, the project was…1/2

— #VoteAndStay (@voteandstay) July 26, 2016

… projected to employ 5000 people for its operations. 2/2

— #VoteAndStay (@voteandstay) July 26, 2016

7. Passenger trains on the line can operate for speeds of up to 200kms per hr while cargo trains can travel at speeds up to 150kms per hr.

— #VoteAndStay (@voteandstay) July 26, 2016

8. Travel time between the two cities will be 1hr & 1hr30mins for passenger & cargo trains respectively.

— #VoteAndStay (@voteandstay) July 26, 2016

9. The rail line has 9 stations & cost $874m. Of this figure, $500m was provided by the China Exim Bank as a concessionary loan while…1/2

— #VoteAndStay (@voteandstay) July 26, 2016

… Jonathan administration paid the balance as counterpart funding. 2/2

— #VoteAndStay (@voteandstay) July 26, 2016

10. The rail line included the construction of 30 railway bridges, including 5 box bridges. Construction on the rail line commenced…1/2

— #VoteAndStay (@voteandstay) July 26, 2016

…in February 2011 & ended in December 2014. The 9 stations were in advanced
stages of completion when the Jonathan admin handed over. 2/2

— #VoteAndStay (@voteandstay) July 26, 2016

…Others soon to be completed include new terminals at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Int'l Airport, Abuja & Akanu Ibiam Int'l Airport, Enugu. 2/2

— #VoteAndStay (@voteandstay) July 26, 2016

11. This project is the first in a series of long term developmental projects conceptualized & initiated by the Jonathan admin that.. 1/2

— #VoteAndStay (@voteandstay) July 26, 2016