Osinbajo lays foundation for Kajola wagon assembly plant

677

…..Plant to create 5000 jobs
The Vice President of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osinbanjo on Saturday laid the foundation for the construction of Wagon Assembly Plant in Kajola, Ogun State, the largest private investment by the China Civil Engineering Corporation (CCECC) in sub-Saharan Africa.

The assembly plant have the capacity to create 5000 direct and indirect jobs and boost export and import within and outside Nigeria.

Speaking at the ceremony, Prof. Osinbanjo urged host communities where rail projects are located to cooperate with contractors for the speedy completion of the project.

The Vice President also noted that President Muhammadu Buhari asked him to charge CCECC to commence the assemblage of locomotives and coaches.

He said: “I have a message also from the President and this is to CCECC which is that we expect that you move on very quickly to the next phase of this project which is the assembly and construction of coaches and locomotives.

“This for us will be a significant breakthrough and we will be looking forward to hearing from you as quickly as possible when this will come into operation.”

Speaking on the essence of the factory, Osinbajo said: “The plant which is a private investment to be undertaken by Messers CCECC, is central in the production of rolling stock needed for the railway modernization programme being implemented by this administration.

“This ceremony is not just another event, it is a historic turning point , For us, the railway is not only an alternative and comfortable mode of travel, it holds the master key to transforming commerce in Nigeria and across the continent.

“By linking our ports to rail lines and now, building the rolling stock locally, import and export business within, into and out of Africa’s largest market will never be the same.

“When completed, it is expected that the plant would produce some parts of the wagons for the Lagos – Ibadan and Abuja – Kaduna rail lines, but also for the central rail lines and to satisfy the needs of other rail operators within the West- African sub-region.”

Speaking further on the importance of the factory, he said: “The citing of the plant here in Nigeria and the commitment to hiring Nigerians and Nigerian businesses affirms the Presidents directives in Executive Order 5 on prioritizing Nigerians and Nigerian businesses in the innovation, production and procurement of Engineering projects and services.

“The plant would offer an important platform for engineers, technicians, artisans and other professionals to gain the specialized skills required for the production and maintenance of rolling stock.

“This will invariably conduce to spin-off businesses in the region of operation and across the country wherever rail networks are in existence. The plant is expected to generate about five thousand (5,000) direct and indirect jobs”

While canvassing for the support of host communities, Prof. Osinbanjo said: “It is imperative that our host communities continue to support government.

Kindly support the growth of journalism in Nigeria

Reactions to stories published can be sent to us at [email protected]


Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *