Railway network to be modernised

Nigeria’s Federal Executive Council (cabinet) has approved a plan to link the nation’s six major geographic areas with a railway network of nearly 5,000 km, ‘The Guardian’ newspaper of Lagos reported on Thursday. The council also approved a plan for the existing 2,980 km of railways to be converted to modern standard lines. The entire project is to be implemented in phases over a five-year period, ‘The Guardian’ quoted Information Minister Jerry Gana as saying. He said the Transport Ministry was seeking a management consulting firm to coordinate the project. “The railway system is very important to a vast country like Nigeria,” Gana said. “It is a strategic decision and it would assist a lot in transporting people and property.” One of the aims of the endeavour would be to reduce stress on Nigeria’s roads, which are in poor condition and extremely busy. An accident on Monday near the capital Abuja claimed at least 26 lives and sparked a demonstration.