Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, on Wednesday frowned on Federal Government’s plan to construct rail line from Kano to Niger Republic and queried the economic benefits of such gigantic project to Nigerians.
He therefore called on the National Assembly to prevail on President Muhammadu Buhari to put aside the project, which was expected to cost $1.9bn.
Ortom stated this during the inauguration and groundbreaking of Benue State Geographic Information Service in Makurdi.
Ortom asked, “What is the economic benefit of a rail line from Nigeria to Niger? Why do we have to take $1.9bn to make a rail line to Niger?”
He, however, charged the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Water Resources, Sada Soli, to work with other colleagues and advise the Federal Government not to take money to execute railway project to Niger Republic.
“Some of the policies of the Federal Government have made some of us to be suspicious. We have seen cattle colony, Ruga and open grazing camouflage coming into play,” the governor said.
