Atabor Julius in Lokoja.
President Muhammadu Buhari has been urged to connect rail lines across Kogi state to reduce carnage on the highways and to improve socio economic lives of the people.
This was contained in a motion of urgent national important raised yesterday on the floor of the kogi state House of Assembly by the member representing Omala constituency and the Deputy speaker of the House, Honourable Aliyu Akuh said the call has become necessary to reduce road crashes occasioned by trucks and articulated vehicles which have become a threat to the longevity of the highways .
He noted that kogi state being the connecting hub to over nine states to Abuja and the only state in the North Central Zone without the presence of Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) and with abundant solid minerals extraction requires railways for the movement of heavy goods and cargoes to its final destination.
According to him , the connection of Abuja rail lines to kogi state linking Ajaokuta, Ankpa to Oturkpo rail station and then Ajaokuta~ Warri existing rail lines will boost economic activities of these states
“I am appealing to the president to as part of his change mantra direct relevant government Agency to urgently approve the construction of rail lines from Ajaokuta, the steel site to kogi East linking Otukpo rail station in Benue state and indeed from Abuja rail staion to Lokoja the state capital
“Kogi state has large deposit of solid mineral resources, and with the Dangote Cement company located at Obajana which is in full production and presence of Coal mining in Okaba, Itobe and Odu all in Kogi East requires a mode of transportation that will not pose a threat to other road users thereby making the construction of rail lines across the state inevitable”, he appealed.
The lawmaker disclosed that most countries of the world are diversifying from over dependency on roads transportation to massive investment in railways to ease movement of goods and people thereby increasing sociol economic development and the generation of jobs for the teeming unemployed youths.
While stressing the need to reticulate the state to railways urged the president to muster political will to commence the process of awarding the contract in line with the policy of diversification of the economy.
