President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday announced that the Federal Government had signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the construction of a new railway line that will run from Lagos to Calabar and also extend to the Obudu Cattle Ranch.

The President made the announcement when he performed the groundbreaking of the second cement line being constructed by the United Cement Company of Nigeria Limited in Mfamosing, Akamkpa Local Government Council of Cross River State.

This came just as Chairman of the Board of UniCem, Mr. John Coumantaros, said the additional 2.5-million-metric-tonne per annum line would be constructed at the cost of N84bn, adding that the project, which is expected to be completed in 2016, would bring the production capacity of the company to five million metric tonnes per annum.

Jonathan, who was represented by Vice- President Namadi Sambo, said it was commendable that barely five years after UniCem unveiled its first line of 2.5 million metric tonnes, the company had already concluded plans to double its production capacity.

He said, “In 2002, the Federal Government formulated the backward integration policy for the cement industry to facilitate Nigeria’s drive in self-sufficiency for cement production. It should be noted that within a decade, there had been a phenomenal growth from two million metric tonnes per annum to 39.5 million metric tonnes per annum of installed capacity.

“We are impressed that just five years after the first line in UniCem, we are gathered here again today for the second line, which will add 2.5 million metric tonnes per annum to the company’s capacity. This is ample growth of operational efficiency and the resilience of the management of UniCem.

Speaking on the proposed railway line from Lagos to Calabar, Jonathan said, “Indeed, I will like to state that very soon, the 550 megawatts station will be inaugurated. Also, on the railway line, I am also glad to inform you that the Memorandum of Understanding for the construction of a new railway line from Lagos to Calabar has been signed, and we hope that any moment from now, work will commence.

http://www.punchng.com/business/business-economy/jonathan-approves-lagos-to-calabar-rail-line/

Good news but am interested in its completion.

We need see it working!

PDP.. POWER OOOOO, 2.5 million metric to 39.5million metric.. Rail from lasgidi to calabar and Obudu.. Shai... Shai... Flexing just wan start

Jonathan is trying sha, more than his predecessors.
Nice move

Slow but steady win a race...

been waiting for this

These are the type of projects that should be on the front burner of national discourse in Nigeria but unfortunately what we have currently is a group of bandits who call themselves APC distracting everybody with their evil brand of politics of destructive opposition and PULL-DOWN-NIGERIA-SYNDROME.

Since the APC was formed in 2013 and the defection of 5 power drunk PDP governors to the APC, the entire country has been engulfed in politics, politics and politics. Governance and development has taken a back seat.

Note that 2013 was just only about 2 years after we had elections in 2011. Meaning that we had only 2 years of respite for governance to take place only for the political actors to return to the trenches mid-way. States like Rivers have been effectively ground to a halt because of bitter and destructive politics.

How can we make the much desired progress as a nation if we continue to spend the greater proportion of our ENERGY and TIME fighting each other and pulling down the country in the name of politics?

This country is in dare need of urgent restructuring and de-centralization so that the centre will be less attractive while making the states the centres of development.

Meanwhile, the Lagos-Calabar rail line is expected to transverse the southwest, southeast and southsouth states. It is a PPP which I hope and pray which if implemented will have tremendous socio-economic impact and boost our GDP massively.

Nigerians should unite and push for actualization of this laudable project. We should ignore the POLITICALLY MOTIVATED naysayers, cynics and pessimists who will soon congregate on this thread to give 1,000 reasons why the project will not see the light of the day.

Why was this thread moved to general section? Why not politics or travel section? What is the connection?

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Good move once again mr President, thank you.

Seun Nitori Olorun Abeg move this to the politics section.

Your mods are really doing wonders here.
When did this nonsense start?

election things....

hmmmm

Good development. Now to the main part: Proceed to completion.

Na today

GEJ is working!!!!

I wonder when Nigerians will put political sentiments aside and appreciate this Man 4 once.

GEJ we know till 2019!!!!

Will comment when the first train leave Lagos to calamba

i dey come make i tell my oga dis new transformation frm our best president ever liveth.
GEJ TILL 2099

It doesnt make me like GEJ more

another white elephant project, never to be completed.

More cement factories springing up everywhere,yet they cannot bring the price to N1000 and under. A bag of cement should not sell for more than N1000 . Anyway, the railway line Lagos - Calabar is a good idea. Hope it passes through Enugu and Abakiliki.

*In Zebrudiah's voice* Phockphockman are u seeing what I saw?

Haters insert your curses and hate phrases here

Good development yet again.
GEJ is working, haters are making noise.
My Presido ride on, we the good citizens of Nigeria are solidly behind you.
GEJ till 2019.

looking forward to its completion.

ok

i grew up seeing ma dad watching NTA netwrk like he was gonna write exam d next day....stories like 6.7B naira as bin allocated for d nigerian agricultural sector.....am 26yr old up till date no changes. Fellow nairalanders let see d rain move first befre we celebrate. na only fashola fit promise way i fit dey hope.YEYE PPLE dem B.

I hope the contract is completed in my generation.

priscaoge: GEJ is working!!!!

I wonder when Nigerians will put political sentiments aside and appreciate this Man 4 once.

GEJ we know till 2019!!!!

When Fashola reduced the school fees of LASU, you PDP mongers took to the internet stating that it was propaganda ahead of 2015 elections.

Now you claim GEJ is working because a railway project has just been announced which we both sincerely know 'might' never be completed?

Talk about "political sentiments".