Kasim Sumaina in Abuja

The federal government wednesday handed over the letter of award appointing General Electric (GE) as the concessionaire for two narrow gauge rail lines in the country, after the company’s emergence as the preferred bidder for concessions.

The concession will see the U.S. multinational invest in excess of $2.2 billion in the two major narrow gauge rail lines that traverse several sections of the country.

The ceremony, which took place in the Ministry of Transportation, Abuja, marked the formal concession of the rail lines to GE for investment and operation.

The letter of award was handed over to the President/CEO of GE Transportation, Jamie Miller by the permanent secretary in the ministry, Alhaji Sabiu Zakari, who represented the Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi.

According to Miller, “Today we are pleased to accept the letter of award as the preferred bidder for the narrow gauge rails in Nigeria.

“GE, with its partners, is committed to working on this project. GE and its partners will work with the federal government to work through a concession process to bring Nigeria’s railway operations to life.”

She added that with the concession arrangement, GE would bring both project management and deep knowledge of the industry and knowhow on how to work projects such as this in a successful way. “We will partner with both the government and the ministry to do so,” she said.

She stated: “One trunk of the line from Lagos to Kano will pass through several states like Ogun, Oyo, Kwara, Niger, Kaduna and Kano. Another trunk starts from Port Harcourt in River State through Abia, Enugu, Benue, Nasarawa, Plateau, Bauchi, Gombe and Maiduduri in Borno.

“In the first instance, perhaps before 2017 ends, GE will introduce 20 locomotives and about 200 coaches to move freight and passengers even as more investments follow.”

Responding, Zakari said the Federal Executive Council (FEC) recently approved the outline business case for the concession of the narrow gauge rail lines.

“The president, transport section of GE which is the preferred bidder for the concession came and collected the letter of award.

“Based on that, we had a few discussions on the interim solutions to be taken before the take off of the final concession agreement.”

He hinted that the ministry would enter into an interim arrangement with GE that will see it provide Nigeria with locomotives and wagons as well as handle the renovation of the narrow gauge lines, which will facilitate usage.

According to Zakari, “GE will bring many coaches that will help in freight and passenger movement and this will ginger the economy. Our total agreement is for about 100 wagons in the interim and 20 locomotives.

“GE will make investments in terms of renovations and reactivation of wagons, coaches and the rail tracks, together with the signaling system and railway stations. This will make the narrow gauge comfortable for usage across the county and GE will recoup their investment over time.”

He added that the concession arrangement would not result in a hike in rail transport fares to a level that would affect poor Nigerians.

https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2017/05/25/fg-concessions-rail-lines-to-ge-multinational-to-invest-over-2-2bn/

nice one but when the Lagos to calabar rail project be concession?

MarkSole:
We are expected to buy Made-in-Nigeria, but here we are handing over our national assets to a foreign company. Why not to a “Made-in-Nigeria” company?

made-in-nigeria company with the capacity of GE?

MarkSole:
We are expected to buy Made-in-Nigeria, but here we are handing over our national assets to a foreign company. Why not to a “Made-in-Nigeria” company?

They were the sole bidder for the contract that's why? Btw the Osinbajo's is supporting made in Nigeria enlighten yourself by reading the executive orders. Annother factor to remember is the fact a local contractors may not always be best.

Blue3k:

4. Made-in-Nigeria products shall be given preference in the procurement of the following items and at least 40% of the procurement expenditure on these items in all MDAs of the FGN shall be locally manufactured goods or local service providers:

http://af.reuters.com/article/nigeriaNews/idAFL5N1H676R

Did China spend as much to construct the Abuja Kaduna rail and upgrade other existing rail networks?

We all know why Washington supported these goats now in power and that was because of their financial interests.

Ever wondered why that chimpanzee faced accountant is still insisting on borrowing? Well because all this Chanji nonsense was to steer us back to the comfort of our neo-colonialists roots and mortgage our grandkids to JP Morgan.

Okoroawusa:

made-in-nigeria company with the capacity of GE?

Where was GE when China came in and invested their money?

We know that the last election was to kick China out of Nigeria and steer us back to slavery and the US had their willing plantation foreman in the form of the APC henchmen who have no problem selling you, your children and theirs to eternal slavery to both Washington and Wall Street.

Congrats for being the village idiot in this global village of the 21st century!

How many years is the concession?

Really? The chinese would have been better than an american company.
How long would it take to pay it off?

NuclearWinter:
Did China spend as much to construct the Abuja Kaduna rail and upgrade other existing rail networks?

We all know why Washington supported these goats now in power and that was because of their financial interests.

Ever wondered why that chimpanzee faced accountant is still insisting on borrowing? Well because all this Chanji nonsense was to steer us back to the comfort of our neo-colonialists roots and mortgage our grandkids to JP Morgan.

No be u write this jargons for one of your low life threads
Oyibos Have Finally Withdrawn The Only Shakara Africans Had

A recently concluded study has withdrawn the origins of mankind from Africa and relocated it to Europe

Makes sense die since if we were the first humans how come we are so backward?

This new study then confirms that Africans might be a retrogressive breed of humans who rather than evolve have been steadily devolving back to chimps.

We waz kingz rubbish must stop now.

Another useless noise making by apc government.

GE is reputable. I hope they deliver on this

NuclearWinter:
Did China spend as much to construct the Abuja Kaduna rail and upgrade other existing rail networks?

We all know why Washington supported these goats now in power and that was because of their financial interests.

Ever wondered why that chimpanzee faced accountant is still insisting on borrowing? Well because all this Chanji nonsense was to steer us back to the comfort of our neo-colonialists roots and mortgage our grandkids to JP Morgan.

The frustration is real and ​the pain is deep. The good thing is this anger and hatred only destroy the hater and not the persons they're directed at. Wail on!

TheCabal:

No be u write this jargons for one of your low life threads
Oyibos Have Finally Withdrawn The Only Shakara Africans Had

Hahaha. What ever it is eating that yoot up certainly has nothing to do with this thread.

Seems like an all round frustration.

Hw fast are this train going to be; tired of snail moving train

omenkaLives:
Hahaha. What ever it is eating that yoot up certainly has nothing to do with this thread.

Seems like an all round frustration.

he should just say he doesn't want development period.

MarkSole:
We are expected to buy Made-in-Nigeria, but here we are handing over our national assets to a foreign company. Why not to a “Made-in-Nigeria” company?

How many Nigeria company has $2.2 Billion dollars to invest? How many of the local contractors has the expertise and experience in this area?