The federal government plans to spend $45,303,000 for a detailed feasibility study and engineering design for a new transportation route alignment for the four Western seaports.
This was disclosed by the Minister of Transportation, Sa’idu Alkali, while briefing journalists after the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Bola Tinubu at the Council Chamber, Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The Minister said that the project would link the Badagry Deep Seaport to Tincan, Tincan to Apapa, Lekki Seaport to Ijebu-Ode and to Kajola to the Lagos-Kano-Maradi railway project.
According to Alkali, the initiative aims to enhance economic growth by linking western ports to the hinterland, thereby increasing GDP and economic activity.
He said “you are all aware transportation is one of the key priority areas of President Tinubu’s administration, and it is an enabler of economic growth. So the Federal Executive Council has granted approval for a detailed feasibility studies and engineering design of a proposed route alignment from Badagry Deep Seaport to Tincan, Tincan to Apapa, Lekki Seaport to Ijebu-Ode and to Kajola. It is at Kajola it will connect with the Lagos to Kano to Maradi Railway Modernization project.
“The idea is to link the western port to the hinterland. As it is, we have only Apapa Port that is linked with a red line. We have a standard gauge inter APMT terminal in Apapa, which we are using for freight from Lagos to Ibadan and we have the old narrow gauge that was rehabilitated, we have put it into use for freight from Lagos to Kano.
“So by the time we are able to link all the four seaports at the Western corridor to the hinterland, it will further grow our GDP and enhance our economic activity. The contract was awarded at the cost of $45,303,000”.
