By Our Reporter
Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has disclosed that the US$50 million University of Transportation, Daura, scheduled to take off September next year will be built free of charge by the Chinese government.
The Minister who stated this at the weekend in Daura, Katsina State, during his maiden inspection tour of the ongoing project, also informed that Technics Engineering Architectural Marketing, TEAM, the project consultants, have promised to provide their services free of charge as well.
The Transportation Minister, further explained that the brain behind the $50 million university is to acquire technology needed to operate the railway system currently being built by the China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC) when the Chinese withdraws.
Though not in the original plan, Amaechi has directed the contractors to include a primary and secondary school in the master plan to cater for the schooling needs of children of families who will be working there.
According to him, ”Construction work will commence in September. What they are doing now is clearing. They have promised to build a primary school and a secondary school in the university. This university is a donation by the Chinese government through the China Engineering Construction Corporation, CECC. The Teachnigue, Engineering, and Marketing (TEAM) has also accepted to do the consultancy job”, he said.
Amaechi, had earlier, shortly after inspecting the project site, paid a courtesy call on the Emir of Daura, Alhaji Umar Farooq Umar. He said the university was not part of the railway contract but was donated to the FG by the Chinses government free of charge.
“Let me also thank the CCECC for accepting to construct the university free of charge. It is not part of the railway contract, we spoke with CCECC and told them to train Nigerians who will take over from them in their technology and they agreed. All Nigerians from all parts of the country are entitled to come here for studies, In the same as lecturing. Those who will teach are not only going to come from Daura, they will come from all parts of the country.
“So, we agreed with CCECC to build the University, and we chose Daura. We believe that the school would be completed next year hopefully, and then we can start studies”, he said.
The Minister later paid a courtesy call on the governor of Katsina State, Aminu Bello Masari, who promised to do everything possible to ensure the cooperation of the host community.
It would be recalled that the groundbreaking ceremony for the project was performed by President Muhammadu on December 2, 2019.
Personalities on the inspection tour included the board chairman, Nigeria Railway Corporation, NRC, Ibrahim Alhassan and other senior government officials.
Source: Today.ng
