Present rail modernisation projects unprecedented in the history of Nigeria – Transportation Minister affirms
The Hon. Minister of Transportation, Engr. Mu’Azu Jaji Sambo, has described the railway modernisation embarked upon by the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration as unprecedented in the history of Nigeria.
The Minister stated this in Port-Harcourt on Friday while inspecting the on-going reconstruction of the Eastern railway line spanning Port-Harcourt, Aba, Umuahia, Enugu, Makurdi, Bauchi, Gombe up to Maiduguri.
According to the Hon. Minister, the Buhari administration has shown commitment towards making daily living easier for Nigerians and remains true to that commitment.
A statement by the District Public Relations Officer at the Nigerian Railway Corporation, Onyedikachi Onovo, quoted the Minister as saying that with regards to the speed of the project, so much background work, which may not be seen physically, was going on.
Sambo listed some of the background works to include securing of finance, procuring and shipment of equipment and several other things.
He reminded members of the press that the project was being funded 85% by the Chinese and 15% by the Nigerian Government, and that there was no iota of truth in the rumours that the funds for the project had been diverted.
He, however, called on the contractors (CCECC) to speed up work on the corridor in order to meet up with the set deadline.
The Minister also called on journalists to be fair and balanced in their reports, so as to keep the public abreast with the factual situation of things.
He also said that while the evil ones were working against the progress of this administration in the area of Railway infrastructural development, the Federal government would continue to increase efforts toward actualizing it’s developmental goals for the good of the people.
Sambo added that all those apprehended for vandalising and sabotaging government’s efforts shall be made to face the full wrath of the law.
Also present during the inspection were the Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, Engr. Fidet Okhiria, he Railway District Manager Eastern District, Mr. Mohammed Ibrahim, Directors from the Ministry of Transportation, Management of the contracting firm, CCECC, the consultant handling the project, heads of other sister agencies under the Federal Ministry of Transportation and a host of other dignitaries.
