By Nelson Utip
The government of Cross River State in collaboration with some private investors has commenced the construction of a 365-kilometres railway estimated to cost about US$350 million, while performing the ground breaking ceremony of the gigantic project, Governor Otu said that the project will link the south and northern parts of the state, the ceremony took place at The Tinapa Free Trade Resort, Calabar. The governor further disclosed that the project is a Public- Private Partnership PPP initiative of Messers Reinhoke LLC in collaboration with the state government.
Governor Otu said that the project is one of the fruits of the Investment Summit held in August 2023 at the Calabar International Convention Centre where the state government interacted with financial, infrastructure and social investment players willing to buy into the investment drive of his administration
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“Today therefore marks an important milestone in our quest to expand and diversify the stock of our infrastructure by partnering Messers Reinhoke LLC for the construction of the Grandlito Railway Project that will run from Calabar to Obudu. On completion, the project will cover an approximate distance of 365km with main terminals in Calabar and Obudu; while three sub-stations will be located at Ugep, Ikom and Ogoja.” Governor Otu said.
He also said that the importance of the rail project to the economic growth of the state is premised on the strategic location of the state in the Gulf of Guinea.
“Cross River State is frontier to Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, and Sao Tome and Principe. It is also home to the largest export processing zone in Nigeria-the Calabar Free Trade Zone (CFTZ).
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“The railway line will not only facilitate the easy intra-state movement, but will serve as evacuation corridor for goods and services within international borders.” He said.
The governor expects a boost in international trade which will have a ripple effect down the entrepreneurial spirit of Cross Riverians, boosting the state Gross Domestic Product (GDP), while admonishing the company handling the project to do so with all amount of seriousness in order to meet up with the estimated time frame. He called on host communities and indigenes to cooperate with the construction company handling the project.
Stanley Orji, The representative of Rinehooke Investments LLC, in his speech at the occasion said the project would bring investments, jobs and encourage the establishment of new businesses such as hi-tech, tourism, manufacturing, agriculture, as well as bolster the ease of doing business in the state.
