The Minister of State for Transport, Senator Gbemisola Rukayyat Saraki, has said the federal government had begun the rehabilitation of the rail line from Rivers state to Borno state.
Saraki disclosed this Thursday during the commissioning of the Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology Outreach Centre for the North-east at Kumo in Akko local government area of Gombe state.
She said the Centre would cater for the needs of the transport sector in the Northeast as well as provide immediate employment for the youths in the area.
“A new beginning for the transport sector in the North-east as a facility is open to cater for the emerging industry in product fabrication for all the modes of transportation in the country.
“It also serves as an avenue to reach out to the government agencies that need logistics in the era of modern-day transportation,” she said.
Also speaking, Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya said the siting of such a gigantic project in the state was not only apt, but timely given the programmes it would offer.
“We are indeed honoured for being chosen to host the Centre. I must, therefore, commend the Federal Ministry of Transportation and Indeed NITT Zaria for selecting Gombe state for the establishment of the Centre.
“It is in the realisation of the importance of transportation to economic growth that the state government has been according to the sector the desired attention.
“Apart from sustaining the services and operations of the Gombe State Transport Agency (Gombe Line), the state government is equally providing similar support to the Gombe International Airport where aviation services are being provided to the people of the sub-region,” he said.
He also appealed to the federal government to hasten the resuscitation of the Port Harcourt – Gombe – Maiduguri rail line to boost economic activities and ease transportation in those areas.
