Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, the former Governor of River state and Minister of Transportation in the last dispensation, is one man that courts controversies effortlessly.

The former Minister is also famous for declaring publicly that he has never accepted a bribe, and that he would not be tempted, much less yield, because he does not like money.

In the recently dissolved cabinet of President Mohammadu Buhari, Rotimi Amaechi was one of the most active and outstanding ministers.



In the last 4 years, he was constantly in the news on account of several railway reconstructions and expansion projects around the country.

Rotimi Amaechi, during his stint as the governor of River state and as the Minister of transportation, had been the focus of several controversies.

Interestingly, some of the biggest controversies involving him centred on the cost of railway construction projects.

Autojosh highlights 2 of the controversial railway projects that Rotimi Amaechi has been embroiled in.


The Port Harcourt Monorail Project



Rotimi Amaechi conceived the idea of the Port Harcourt Monorail project in 2008 during his first term as governor of River state.

The project was intended for mass transportation within the Port Harcourt metropolis.

While announcing the monorail project, Amaechi said it would be the first of its kind in West Africa.

Two companies bided for the contract: Urbanord, an American company and TSI, a local company owned by a one-time military administrator of Rivers State, Colonel Anthony Ukpo.

The foreign firm bided N25 billion to complete the Phase 1 which was a 12-kilometre distance in the design, while TSI quoted N50billion for the same distance. Amaechi opted for the indigenous firm.

However, this decision did not get the buy-ins of Amaechi’s cabinet.

When it became hard to get the endorsement of his cabinet members, he allegedly dissolved the cabinet to have his way and later reconstituted it after the contract award.

This accounting is according to a submission by the Director, Safety and Aviation, Engineer Says Antioch of the State Ministry of Transportation before Justice George Omwreji-led Judicial Commission of Inquiry on the Sale of Assets of the state by former Governor Amaechi.

The contract for the construction of the Port Harcourt monorail was designed to cover 12 kilometres at the cost of N50 billion.



The first phase of the project was to cover Aggrey road through Station road- Azikiwe road-Aba road to Water lines junction.

In 2015, at the completion of Ameachi’s second term in office, the project had already been abandoned.

Sources said the work already done at the point of abandonment covered only 2.6kilometers. At that point, it had already gulped N33.9billion.

Many considered that spending as much as 33.9 billion on a 2.6-kilometre railway project was outrageous.

There had also been allegations that the cost of the project, compared with similar projects in other states, was suspicious.

Since Amaechi left office, the project has remained abandoned, as the current government, led by Governor Nyesom Wike, has distanced himself from the project.


Lagos-Ibadan railway



In April 2017, the Federal Government announced that it had begun the construction of the Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge railway line.

The Goodluck Jonathan-led government originally contracted the project for nearly $1.5 billion.

However, the Buhari administration – under the supervision of the Rotimi Amaechi-led Ministry of Transportation – rewrote and renegotiated the contract with the Chinese construction firm handling the project, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC).

Multiple news reports said while the 156-km Lagos-Ibadan railway line is estimated to cost $2b.

The Line will run from Iddo in Lagos to Ibadan in Oyo State, passing through Abeokuta in Ogun State. It will also have an extension to the Apapa Ports Complex.



However, in May this year, a news report published by a Ghanaian news media revealed the cost of a similar railway construction project in Ghana.

In the report, Ghana locked down its own standard gauge deal with another Chinese firm, which would also include the building of two terminals in addition to plans to establish local hubs to build locomotive coaches.

The Ghanaian railway line, which will run on a 340km track, will cost Ghana $2.2 billion.

The reports suggested that the Lagos-Ibadan railway project may have been significantly inflated considering the cost per distance of the two projects.

Since the Lagos-Ibadan railway project is roughly one-third shorter, without any significant differences in gauge-type, power source or terrain, many wondered how Ghana got a better deal with the Chinese.



https://autojosh.com/rotimi-ameachi-and-the-2-controversial-rail-projects/

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Ftc, hallelujah

Toh!

That is the way we operate in Nigeria!
Award a contract at an inflated amount and recieve the kick back later.

AND you brought about monorail because your pau matters asked you to ridicule he man on social media?? You just ended up showing everyone that you're a paid writter

Swagaholic01:
AND you brought about monorail because your pau matters asked you to ridicule he man on social media?? You just ended up showing everyone that you're a paid writter

You just exposed yourself as the real paid goon

Swagaholic01:
AND you brought about monorail because your pau matters asked you to ridicule he man on social media?? You just ended up showing everyone that you're a paid writter

chai Nigerians. What the op wrote, is it a lie?

No peace for the corrupt ones no matter hiw highly placed they are

That man is APC financier in Chief. That is why he has a whole division of NA at his beck and call.

Amaechi my man.

[quote author=Amanismone post=79473645]chai Nigerians. What the op wrote, is it a lie?[/quoteThat is why this country will never develope.when you criticize our ineffective leader his followers that can't even eat three square meal a day will come for you.

Why didn't you go on and dropped the complete specs of both projects so we can make comparisons?

This is the same way y'all glorified an inferior Ghana airport, until it turned to a river after a downpour.

This is the reason why the black race will continue to be underdeveloped. Not because of our looting leaders, but because of the hopeless followers that defend their looting activities.

Just imagine what some commenters above me are saying to defend the looting.

I dont why this mono rail issue keep coming up each time ministerial list is about to be release...

deomelo:
Blogger Blogger. This is how you feed Nigerians with half-baked rubbish and baseless accusations and insinuations.

....but of course, you know the average Nigerian is dumb, gullible, low intellect with zero appetite for intellectual reasonings, they love tabloid stories, gossips and rumors.

You people so more damage than good.

The ideal thing to do is to counter their report with fact. Do you have any?

positivelord:
I dont why this mono rail issue keep coming up each time ministerial list is about to be release...

C'mon. The Lagos-Ibadan railway that the OP highlighted has been a talking point even before the last cabinet was dissolved. Why do we take offence when these thieves are exposed? These are monies that could have been used to build more railway tracks, hospitals and schools, c'mon.

deomelo:


The fact that your leaders are corrupt doesn't mean you have to be gullible, mentally corrupt or be a rumor and gossip consumer.

Hopelessness is when you care less about facts and Just settle for gossips and insinuations.

He is right. No matter the vocabulary we use, do you have facts to counter the report?

deomelo:



The Lagos Ibadan railway was negotiated by the previous administrations from OBJ to GEJ to cost more than $800 million, but Amaechi renegotiated the cost to save us $800 million.

What the OP exposed is the fact that Amaechi saved Nigeria almost a billion dollars, so, that $800 million obviously was put to better use to benefit Nigerians.

The $2.3 billion GEJ stole and gave to Dasuki/ATM to share with the likes of FFK/Fayose, Metuh and others is enough to build 2 Lagos Ibadan railway, these are the real issues me real facts the average Nigerian don't talk about, but they will do anything to latch on to worthlessness gossips and rumors.

fetish lies

Swagaholic01:
AND you brought about monorail because your pau matters asked you to ridicule he man on social media?? You just ended up showing everyone that you're a paid writter

meaninglessnesssssssssssssssssss-dont read

In a reasonable country, Amaechi would've been executed siiiinncee.


But See how lucky he is being a Nigerian

In the last 4 years, he was constantly in the news on account of several railway reconstructions and expansion projects around the country.

The best Minister in Nigeria .

Keep up the good works sir!

To the next level of our country we go.

God bless Nigeria.

Op this is bad job .What is to be done in Nigeria is doing a double lane not a single lane like Ghana

Also included is the compensation lpaid to owners of to be used. My church got some thousands of Naira for our land used in Ibadan.

Nigerian rail line is to be constructed afresh but for Ghana majorly rehabilitation of already existing and old line.

This is surely a terrible comparison you have done. Why do you think Ghanaian cancel the contract, it's inflated when compared to the Nigerian rail cost