Kaduna earmarks N4b for Kaduna light rail project

The Kaduna State Government has earmarked over N4 billion for the Kaduna Metropolitan Rapid Rail Transport project, to begin in 2017.

The amount is part of the N24.06 billion provided for projects under the State Ministry of Works, Housing and Transport in the 2017 budget.

Gov. Nasiru El-Rufa’i had on Wednesday, Oct. 12, presented an appropriation bill of over N215.9 billion to the State House of Assembly for approval.

The estimate for the 2017 fiscal year included N85.5 billion for recurrent expenditure and N130.3 billion for capital projects.

The first phase of the intra-city Kaduna light rail project will link Rigachikun with the Refinery.

The government indicated that funds for the rail project would be sourced through a loan from the Central Bank of Nigeria.

“The state government also voted N2, 445,160,730.00 for the ongoing state trunk road project, while township road projects will gulp N7,705,788,694.58 in the fiscal year. ”

According to the breakdown, the government equally earmarked N1.5 billion for the construction and acquisition of new state government administration buildings and N500 million for street lights.

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