Senator Saidu Alkali, the Minister of Transportation, has announced April 2024 as the new commencement date for operations on the Port Harcourt – Aba section of the Port Harcourt to Maiduguri railway line.

Alkali made this announcement on Friday while addressing journalists after inspecting the reconstructed railway track in Port Harcourt.

Earlier, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Mr. Fidel Okhiria, had assured that passenger train operations would start by the end of March after test running the reconstructed rail track from Port Harcourt to Aba.

Expressing dissatisfaction with the postponement from the initial date, Alkali stated that the contractor had been entrusted to deliver the project by April as promised.

He also directed the contractor to ensure that the railway line was linked to both Port Harcourt and Onne Ports.

“This is the second time I am in Port Harcourt for the inspection of the rail line since I assumed office as the Minister of Transportation. They gave us March for the commencement of operation, but I am sure while they were doing the inspection there were some observations, and because of exigencies and technicalities of the work, it has been extended to April, because we are already on March 29 today,” Alkali said.