President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday
announced that the Federal Government had signed a Memorandum of
Understanding for the construction of a new railway line that will run
from Lagos to Calabar and also extend to the Obudu Cattle Ranch.
This came just as
Chairman of the Board of UniCem, Mr. John Coumantaros, said the
additional 2.5-million-metric-tonne per annum line would be constructed
at the cost of N84bn, adding that the project, which is expected to be
completed in 2016, would bring the production capacity of the company to
five million metric tonnes per annum.
Jonathan,
who was represented by Vice- President Namadi Sambo, said it was
commendable that barely five years after UniCem unveiled its first line
of 2.5 million metric tonnes, the company had already concluded plans to
double its production capacity.
He
said, “In 2002, the Federal Government formulated the backward
integration policy for the cement industry to facilitate Nigeria’s drive
in self-sufficiency for cement production. It should be noted that
within a decade, there had been a phenomenal growth from two million
metric tonnes per annum to 39.5 million metric tonnes per annum of
installed capacity.
“We are impressed
that just five years after the first line in UniCem, we are gathered
here again today for the second line, which will add 2.5 million metric
tonnes per annum to the company’s capacity. This is ample growth of
operational efficiency and the resilience of the management of UniCem.
Speaking
on the proposed railway line from Lagos to Calabar, Jonathan said,
“Indeed, I will like to state that very soon, the 550 megawatts station
will be inaugurated. Also, on the railway line, I am also glad to inform
you that the Memorandum of Understanding for the construction of a new
railway line from Lagos to Calabar has been signed, and we hope that any
moment from now, work will commence.
