Jonathan: Nigeria’s economy ‘strongest in Africa’

President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday said his administration has succeeded in transforming the country’s economy to become the greatest in Africa and one of the largest in the world.

Speaking in Port Harcourt at the inauguration of Enugu-Port Harcourt-Enugu intercity train service, Jonathan, who was represented by Namadi Sambo, his vice, said his government had changed the course of history in the country.

“We have managed the economy such that it has risen to be the greatest economy in Africa and one of the largest in the world,’’ he said.

“We have changed the course of history with the railway system in the last 30 years from the neglected sector to a rehabilitated and revitalised one by rehabilitating the existing narrow gauge railway lines, their operations and maintenance.”

He said his administration would construct coastal railway line from Lagos to oil-producing states of the Niger Delta and link up commercial cities in the southeast.

“The Abuja-Kaduna rail project is at 90 per cent completion stage while the warri-Itakpe project is at an advanced stage.

“We have introduced programmes that have impacted positively on the lives of the people and addressed key issues in our national agenda.”

The president said he had fulfilled all the electioneering campaign promises he made to Nigerians in 2011.

In his contribution, Idris Umar, a former senator and minister of transport, said the construction of Lagos-Ibadan railway line would commerce soon.

The minister said that the warri-Itakpe rail project was progressing steadily, while more than 90 per cent of the existing narrow gauge rail lines were undergoing rehabilitation.

Adeseyi Sijuwade, managing director of Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), spoke on the many challenges affecting the rehabilitation of the Enugu-Port Harcourt railway.

“Thirty metres of the rail line was washed out by Aba gully erosion and five metres wide reinforced concrete culvert of more than 366 metres long resolved the problem,” he said, adding that the Aba mountain of refuse of about five metres high was also a problem.