Over 20,000 Nigerians were gainfully engaged in the course of the completion of the Lagos-Ibadan rail project which was contracted to a Chinese construction company, the Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi has revealed.
Amaechi, who spoke during a public hearing of the House of Representatives Committee on Treaties, Protocols and Agreements on Monday, was responding to insinuations that local content was not observed in the course of the project, revealed that the engagement was in compliance with the local content law inherent in the $1.6billion contract agreement between Nigeria and China.
“There are over 20,000 Nigerian workers employed for the construction of the Lagos-Ibadan railway project, only 560 of the workers on that project are Chinese.
“Most materials for the project are also locally sourced, except for those that were manufactured outside Nigeria.
“We have over 150 Nigerians being trained as engineers in China.
“The Chinese have also built 2 training institutions for us; one at Idu and the other one is the Transportation University in Daura, Katsina State.”
Amaechi also reiterated that the coastal rail project might not sail through if the House committee continues its investigations on the project before the loan is granted.
