Ogun signs $3.2bn rail project with Chinese coy

The Ogun State Governor, Senator
Ibikunle Amosun, has signed a
$3.2bn light rail project contract
with the China Civil Engineering
Construction Company.
The contract was signed on Monday
at the Governor’s Office at Oke
Mosan, Abeokuta, where the Consul
General, the People’s Republic of
China to Nigeria, Kan Liu, was
present.
Amosun, who said that the
proposed light rail would cover
both inter-city and intra-city routes,
explained that when operational, it
would carry passengers and goods
across major cities such as
Abeokuta, Ijebu Ode, Sagamu,
Agbara and Idiroko.
He said, “The light rail project is in
two phases. The first aspect will cut
across the entire cities in the state,
while the other phase will be for
the Abeokuta metropolis.”
Amosun said this project, which
would be completed in three years,
would greatly reduce the pressure
on roads in the state, and enhance
its infrastructural development.
According to him, no nation
developed without having the
necessary infrastructure in place.
The governor added, “Like I always
emphasise, without functioning
and proper infrastructure we
cannot develop. This step we are
taking today will help in
technology transfer and bring
positive impact on the lives of our
people.
“If you go to China today, the only
reason they are now rated one of
the economic powers of the world
is because they have infrastructure
in place; without infrastructure
nothing can happen.
“If you go to Dubai today, you will
see infrastructure there, go to
Europe, everywhere infrastructure
must be there. Without
infrastructure there cannot be any
development.
“When there is infrastructure you
will have a positive impact on
curbing security challenges.”
Amosun assured the people of the
state that all the ongoing road
projects across the state would
soon be completed, stressing that
his administration would now shift
its focus to the construction of rural
roads to facilitate development.
The Chairman of CCECC, Mr. Cao
Baogang, who reaffirmed that the
project would be completed in
three years, commended the
governor for being a visionary
leader. Baogang noted that the rail
project would provide job
opportunities for the teeming
youths of the state.
He said the construction company
would source soft loans for the
project in China.