Nigeria: Construction work will commence in September – Transport Minister

Minister of Transportation, Mr. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi on Saturday disclosed that construction work at the Transportation University, Daura, Katsina State would commence in September.

Amaechi made the disclosure during an inspection tour of the site of the proposed institution.

“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 CCECC. The Technique, Engineering, and Marketing (TEAM) has also accepted the consultancy job”, he said.

Amaechi, shortly after inspecting the project site, paid a courtesy call on the Emir of Daura, Alhaji Umar Farooq Umar.

While at the emir’s palace, he noted that the university was not part of the railway contract but was donated to the federal government by the Chinese government free of charge.

He said: “We are here on the assignment of the ministry of transportation. The President wanted to know the status of the university that he performed its groundbreaking, so we decided to come today with CCECC and TEAM. I also want to thank you for providing land to construct the university.

“Having done that, 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 way 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.

Responding, Katsina state governor, Mallam Aminu Massari, thanked the minister for citing the university in Daura, even as he gave an assurance that the state government would ensure cordial relationships exist between it and the construction company.