Govt gets $5m facility from China for Abuja light rail

THE Federal Government plans toobtaina soft loan of about $5 million (N80 billion)from the Chinese Government tocompletethe Abuja light rail project.Ahmed Wadada, the Senior Special Assistant on Project Monitoring and National Assembly Matters to the FCT Minister, Sen. Bala Mohammed,disclosed the plan in Abuja,while speaking with newsmen.Wadadasaid the rail project was important to the FCT administration, adding thatthe loan was part of the contractual agreement that wouldbetter the lives of Nigerian through the execution of projects.He saidthatthe problem of funding hadbeen taken care of, asfund wouldcome from Nigeria. The remainingisa soft loan from the Chinese Government and theprocesswould soon be concluded.The senior special assistantsaidthe fund would soonbe made available, adding that both governments had concluded the process concerning the soft loan.Also speaking, theProject Manager of the Chinese Civil Engineering Construction Company, Charles Chang, gave the assurancethat the company wascommitted to executingthe job as expected by the Nigerian Government.He said that out of a total of 96 culverts needed to be constructed on the rail right of way, only 26 were ready, while35 kilometres track was completed out of the 64 kilometres track.He said that the construction of the sleepers had reached an advanced stage, adding that coaches, as well as five bridgesfor the project were ready.
Click here to read full news..