Minister of Transportation, Chibuike
Amaechi,
Minister expresses ignorance of contract
awarded to Tompolo
Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja
 and
Sunday Okobi in Lagos

In a bizarre twist, the Minister of
Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, On
Tuesday announced that he never knew the
railways as a means of transport efficiently
existed in Nigeria.
The minister who stated this when he and
other officials of the ministry toured the
facilities of the Nigerian Railways
Corporation (NRC) in Lagos, added that the
government would concentrate on building
standard gauge railway lines that would
befit Nigeria status as a developing
economy as well as compliment it.
Amaechi said: “In fact, I think we have a
problem; most people don’t believe that
the railway transport is functioning in
Nigeria. I didn’t even know, until I started
this tour, I never knew that the railway was
functioning, it was even from his (MD’s)
speech that I learnt that there are some
coaches or services that go to Kano or Port
Harcourt or elsewhere.”
According to him, “The federal government
will concentrate on standard gauge of the
railways, because it is critical that Nigeria
becomes one of the countries founded on
standard gauge. The only time I had seen
railways (trains) or the coaches was one or
two days in Lagos, and I thought it started
from the beginning of Lagos to the end of
Lagos.
“So we need to make people become more
aware that the narrow gauge is working,
and that people can still use it to travel
around that country. There was a joke
somebody told me that it takes three days
to reach Kano from Lagos on the narrow
gauge, and when I asked the managing
director of NRC, he said no, it takes one
and half days; I said: ‘what’s the difference
between three days and one and a half
days?’ So that is why the government has
to reemphasise on the need for the
construction of the standard gauge to help
boost the economy.”
In his speech, the Managing Director of the
NRC, Adeseyi Sijuwade, expressed
appreciation on the commitment and
desire of the minister to effect positive
change in the railway subsector, adding
that the subsector had for years been in
comatose but now back on track, and that
with the minister’s desire to see it taken to
another level, the railway transport is on it
way to attaining greater heights.
In another development, Amaechi yesterday
expressed ignorance of the multi-billion
naira pipeline protection and waterways
security contract awarded to ex-Niger Delta
militant, Government Ekpemupolo, also
known as Tompolo.
Tompolo was one of the Niger Delta
militants who accepted the Nigerian
government’s amnesty in 2010.
Amaechi who made the denial while
appearing before the Senate Committee on
Marine Transport chaired by Senator
Ahmed Rufai Sani, said he only heard about
the contract through the newspapers,
adding that he was yet to be properly
briefed by officials of Nigerian Maritime
Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA)
on the matter since his appointment as
transport minister.
Amaechi added that he only knew about
Global West Vessel Specialist Agency
Limited, said to be owned by Tompolo
when he visited the office of NIMASA
recently.
“It was in the public that I knew that
Tompolo had a contract. Even up till now, I
have never been briefed about the contract.
How did I know the company? I got to
NIMASA and I saw a building that was
looking very ugly. And I said for Christ’s
sake, who are the people staying in this
dirty place? And they said staff of Global
West Company and they are Tompolo’s
staff.
“Nobody ever mentioned that contract to
me. That’s why I said give me information
about all the contracts that you have
awarded in NIMASA so that I know and the
stage of payment.”
Global West had secured $103 million
contract during former President Goodluck
Jonathan’s administration alongside other
similar multi-billion naira contracts.
The contract and others given to Global
West and other companies linked to the ex-
militant have been a subject of controversy
since they were made public.
At the meeting, Amaechi who said he had
to cut short his visit to agencies and
parastatals in the maritime sector in Lagos
to honour the committee’s invitation, said
he was still studying the railway and
aviation sectors and called for more time to
furnish the committee with necessary
information.




www.thisdaylive.com/articles/amaechi-i-never-knew-railway-transport-existed-in-nigeria/228147/

Hmmm and he built Mono rail

yudee233:
Hmmm and he built Mono rail

So all the time he was fighting Gej and saying all sorts of things, he never knew the truth.

You see: they turn blind eye to the truth. So GEJ did something on rail transport. I thought that your apc 'urchins' said that there was nothing like that before.

So you had no facts just like Oshomole.

May GOD have mercy on you all.

yudee233:
Hmmm and he built Mono rail

Do no mind amechi. Would it not had been better if he had built a light rail or even used the money for the useless monorail to build flyovers at Rumuokoro, Tank, Rumuola (expand the existing), Rumuodara jnc, etc.

but now you know?

What is it with APC-ism and lying?.

Now you know. Thanks to Goodluck Jonathan!

tobimillar:
I am sure many nairalanders didn't read the full article, he was quoted out of context. Amaechi wasn't wrong. How many people actually travel by rail ? The citizens are either not aware or they have been misinformed . I hope for a time when Nigerians will travel by rail from Lagos to kano (which is safest for now). And yes there is need for rail investment so we can have the standard gauge working

Which out of context?

Who misinformed the masses? Were you not here when TANists were shouting about the re-vitalisation of the railway system. Did they not post pix? Was it not on the news?

But you apc 'urchins' in you typical nature chose to feed the masses with lies.

Who misinformed the masses? The pdp? The presidency then? Who?

Was it not you, amechi, lair mohammed, apc, etc.


Go and sit down abeg.

jusRadical:




Which out of context?

Who misinformed the masses? Were you not here when TANists were shouting about the re-vitalisation of the railway system. Did they not post pix? Was it not on the news?

But you apc 'urchins' in you typical nature chose to feed the masses with lies.

Who misinformed the masses? The pdp? The presidency then? Who?

Was it not you, amechi, lair mohammed, apc, etc.


Go and sit down abeg.

O.k with all the information at your disposal, do you travel by rail? Let's face reality and talk for development...

There is need for public enlightenment about rail travel. I don't give flying f**ks about amaechi or tanoid.... I want to see the rail transport work, and I love to see a Nigeria whose citizens are eager to travel by rail

tobimillar:


O.k with all the information at your disposal, do you travel by rail? Let's face reality and talk for development...

There is need for public enlightenment about rail travel. I don't give flying f**ks about amaechi or tanoid.... I want to see the rail transport work, and I love to see a Nigeria whose citizens are eager to travel by rail

I rarely, rarely travel. The fact that I do not travel does not mean that some other people do not board trains. It is not yet like half of what you have overseas but it can be improved on.

Please go to railway stations and also ask those the live along the railways in PH.

tobimillar:


O.k with all the information at your disposal, do you travel by rail? Let's face reality and talk for development...

There is need for public enlightenment about rail travel. I don't give flying f**ks about amaechi or tanoid.... I want to see the rail transport work, and I love to see a Nigeria whose citizens are eager to travel by rail

There much publicity during Gej's tenure but you guys chose to look the other just like amechi. Check many treads on it on this forum.

jusRadical:



I rarely, rarely travel. The fact that I do not travel does not mean that some other people do not board trains. It is not yet like half of what you have overseas but it can be improved on.

Please go to railway stations and also ask those the live along the railways in PH.

Trust me, a lot of Nigerians are either not informed or misinformed about rail travel especially on long distance route like Lagos -kano or ph-kano and that was rotimi's point

tobimillar:


O.k with all the information at your disposal, do you travel by rail? Let's face reality and talk for development...

There is need for public enlightenment about rail travel. I don't give flying f**ks about amaechi or tanoid.... I want to see the rail transport work, and I love to see a Nigeria whose citizens are eager to travel by rail

There was much publicity during Gej's tenure but you guys chose to look the other just like amechi to spite GEJ. Check many treads on it on this forum.

tobimillar:
I am sure many nairalanders didn't read the full article, he was quoted out of context. Amaechi wasn't wrong. How many people actually travel by rail ? The citizens are either not aware or they have been misinformed . I hope for a time when Nigerians will travel by rail from Lagos to kano (which is safest for now). And yes there is need for rail investment so we can have the standard gauge working

Did you just wake up from a coma or you do not live in Nigeria? I Dont know wwhich reason should best explain your ignorance. For your information, many Nigerians travel by rail. I am a living witness. On a normal day, trains travelling from kano to Lagos are filled to capacity. Am talking of trains having more than 20 coaches, with each coach being able to sit about 100 people; that is about 2000 travellers per train. How many buses do you think you will need to transport such huge number of people? Do the maths. Hope you are purged of your amazing and disgusting ignorance now

How many people read the full article? Mr Amaechi actually acknowledged he never knew there was existing rail lines, he however made it clear that the coaches been used are not acceptable. How would you claim we have rail lines and still spend a day and half from Lagos to kano instead of 10hrs maximum? His statement does not in anyway vindicate Jonathan's Administration. There can't be successful railway project without acceptable coaches.

How will you know when APC has crippled your senses