President Olusegun Obasanjo recently flagged off the first phase of rehabilitation of Nigeria's railway system in Ogun State. The rehabilitation, which is coming in phases, is said to be intended at a complete revitalization of the rail transport system which will include the construction of a standard gauge.
The importance of railway transportation to the overall economic and social development of the nation cannot be overemphasized as it is the safest and cheapest means of haulage of goods and services from one part of the country to the other.
This project is not only a welcome one but long over due in view of the critical role that rail transportation is going to play in advancing national economic activities and movement of citizens from one part of the country to the other, thus advancing social interaction, better understanding and national harmony.

According to the government, the first phase which moves from Lagos to Kano will consume a whopping sum of $28Billion. We believe that the purpose of the project justifies the huge expenditure in view of the crucial importance of railway in the development and sustenance of any economy.
While thumbing up for the government on this noble venture which we believe is long over due, we implore that the project though contracted to a Chinese firm must be designed in such a way that it will provide Nigerian labor of the opportunity of employment at various levels so that both vertical and horizontal advantages that are to accrue from the projects benefits the citizens.

What do you think?

The contract as been awarded - the second phase goes from PH to Maiduguri - $10billion dollar worth, This one will not fade out - four years max it has been given.

alabiyemmy:

The contract as been awarded - the second phase goes from PH to Maiduguri - $10billion dollar worth, This one will not fade out - four years max it has been given.

Yes the contract will not fade out, just like the Independent power projects, just like the national ID card scheme, just like the lagos metro system, just like the railway projects "flagged off" by Abacha!

Yeah, 40 yrs max it will take!

If it takes 40 yrs then it really went at supersonic speed. The way I see it it will take forever _max!

@ ALL

I pray one day - you guys will stop being pessimistic about Nigeria, her leaders and good intentions, someone at least try to start something noone ever saw to be necessary or important.

Nigerians are the worst pessimist in this world, never beleive in their leaders, they never beleive in themselves (no wonder why they result in fast money making schemes) and they never see anything good in their country - shame. I suppose if this is America or UK, most Nigerians will even apply to work under the project to ake sure it succeeds.

You all should go home and see changes - NEPA project underway - for non stop electricity supply, rural telephony projects, good internet connections even to the rural ares, high speed wireless and VSAT internet policy - improved infrastructure - etc - you all stay inone corner and wish bad to the country - Remember, whereever you are, home is home - whatever you are outside Nigeria, you are still second class citizen. This is sure, I for one beleive in Nigeria and beleive things are moving in the right direction.

I hope u have not been living in mars since ur life!!!!!

Leaders and good intentions,,,,,wat a fallacy Nigerians are the most enduring people u can ever have the good fortune of meeting,,,,,,no light no road no water rotten educational system , yet life goes on. Nigerians have concrete as soil and yet they are still managing to flourish!!!!

For these past 20 years, we have never had any leader!

@ Uche

I bet you have lived in America in donkey years and find it hard to beleive nothing good can come out of your country, no leaders have good intentions - I bet you will come and rule one day?

alabiyemmy:

@ ALL

I pray one day - you guys will stop being pessimistic about Nigeria, her leaders and good intentions, someone at least try to start something noone ever saw to be necessary or important.

Nigerians are the worst pessimist in this world, never beleive in their leaders, they never beleive in themselves (no wonder why they result in fast money making schemes) and they never see anything good in their country - shame. I suppose if this is America or UK, most Nigerians will even apply to work under the project to ake sure it succeeds.

You all should go home and see changes - NEPA project underway - for non stop electricity supply, rural telephony projects, good internet connections even to the rural ares, high speed wireless and VSAT internet policy - improved infrastructure - etc - you all stay inone corner and wish bad to the country - Remember, whereever you are, home is home - whatever you are outside Nigeria, you are still second class citizen. This is sure, I for one beleive in Nigeria and beleive things are moving in the right direction.

I wonder how much the paying you to say all this nonsense. Or maybe you a Hausa man because all the changes and improved infrastructure you talking about only happens in the North. The last time I was in Anambra sate my home state I didn't see any of those.

@ Zulu

Say anything - noone is paying me - it is just that not everyone is pessimistic. You dont have to be paid before seeing what is good in your country, boo hoo,

Like I said in my earlier post, you must be some very flourishing part of Nigeria "North" My people in the East are still to taste the riches of the Federal Government of Nigeria.

ZuluNation:

I wonder how much the paying you to say all this nonsense. Or maybe you a Hausa man because all the changes and improved infrastructure you talking about only happens in the North. The last time I was in Anambra sate my home state I didn't see any of those.

So why aren't you blaming your state government?

yes o, you skipped your local government chairmen, your senator, your governor, you even skipped obasanjo just to mention the north, na wa o

Nigerians are the worst pessimist in this world

if we are we will probably have the highest number of suicide in the world

But all in all this a good development long overdue millions of dollars have been spent on consultancy already, the way things are going presently projects are being monitored, the whole country wants this badly and state governments are also contributing money one way or the other so everyone will be on the look out.

El-rufai definately wants a metro in Abuja so i dont think he will let this one go

We just dont want to get our hope so high just to feel let down.


can you provide a link to where you got this info so we can get an idea of the time frame?

alabiyemmy:

@ ALL

I pray one day - you guys will stop being pessimistic about Nigeria, her leaders and good intentions, someone at least try to start something noone ever saw to be necessary or important.

Nigerians are the worst pessimist in this world, never beleive in their leaders, they never beleive in themselves (no wonder why they result in fast money making schemes) and they never see anything good in their country - shame. I suppose if this is America or UK, most Nigerians will even apply to work under the project to ake sure it succeeds.

You all should go home and see changes - NEPA project underway - for non stop electricity supply, rural telephony projects, good internet connections even to the rural ares, high speed wireless and VSAT internet policy - improved infrastructure - etc - you all stay inone corner and wish bad to the country - Remember, whereever you are, home is home - whatever you are outside Nigeria, you are still second class citizen. This is sure, I for one beleive in Nigeria and beleive things are moving in the right direction.

Is this the same man who made this disgraceful post the other day?

alabiyemmy (m)
London
Posts: 51

Offline

Re: Are Nigerians Ready to Pay Tax?
« #35 on: December 18, 2006, 10:39 AM »

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my stance stays - Nigerian are the dumbest in the world - thinking they are the smartest - not because they don't pay taxes but because of so many other reasons, you all stay in one little corner of the world and talk. Go to other small African countries, just for a single day, observe the orderliness, the peace, the law abiding citizens and go back to Nigeria for a sinlge day and compare what you have seen outside with what is happening inside and you will agree with me - we are indisciplined, unrully and we think we are smart - nothing to do with bad governance or something. My point is this, most things that are done in Nigeria by Nigerians are not heard of in many other countries and when Nigerian do it, they say they are smart? What is smart in 419, what is smart in fraud, what is smart in faking visa papers, what is smart in disobeying common/simple traffic rules, what is smart in throwing and dumping dirt on the road, whatis smart in all that? what has bad governance has to do with all that? It is in the person, not in the government or governance.

Idiagbon was right when he said "my people are indisciplined".

Yemmy.


Wonderful how you accuse others of pessimism about their nation when you just refered to them as dumb idiots!

davidylan:

Is this the same man who made this disgraceful post the other day?

alabiyemmy (m)
London
Posts: 51

Offline

Re: Are Nigerians Ready to Pay Tax?
« #35 on: December 18, 2006, 10:39 AM »

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
my stance stays - Nigerian are the dumbest in the world - thinking they are the smartest - not because they don't pay taxes but because of so many other reasons, you all stay in one little corner of the world and talk. Go to other small African countries, just for a single day, observe the orderliness, the peace, the law abiding citizens and go back to Nigeria for a sinlge day and compare what you have seen outside with what is happening inside and you will agree with me - we are indisciplined, unrully and we think we are smart - nothing to do with bad governance or something. My point is this, most things that are done in Nigeria by Nigerians are not heard of in many other countries and when Nigerian do it, they say they are smart? What is smart in 419, what is smart in fraud, what is smart in faking visa papers, what is smart in disobeying common/simple traffic rules, what is smart in throwing and dumping dirt on the road, whatis smart in all that? what has bad governance has to do with all that? It is in the person, not in the government or governance.

Idiagbon was right when he said "my people are indisciplined".

Yemmy.


Wonderful how you accuse others of pessimism about their nation when you just refered to them as dumb idiots!

How do you respond to something like this.

you dont need to respond - you have chosen not to believe in your country - I have chosen to beleive in her - so?

Davidylan,
Could you please tell us the meaning of  ''FLAG OFF'' in Nigerian context? I'm eager to know it, I'm not sure I have the right meaning of the phrase.

This railway is a a white elephant project. Most of us do not read the news and all the details contained therein. Only last year, a Canadian firm offered to build a better track and supply international coaches that run on LNG for Nigeria. It would cost the FG $2Billion and the coaches or train would convey people and goods from Lagos to Abuja in a record 3 and half hours. The contract was to be completed in 11 months. The company also wanted another which would travel from Lagos to Onitsha for the same period and the same time to convey people.

What did our president to this offer?, He rejected it and gave the contract worth, we all know how much and to a Chinese firm. It is worth over $10bilion. This company has track record and are reputed in Canada and Europe. OBJ rejected them for such a cheap sum and instead preferred to fund a huge wasteful railway which no one sane enough will ever use for there is nothing mentioned about the engines it will carry or the speed at which it will work.

Ghana are a lot smarter, they have accepted the contract and work has commenced. In a matter of time, Ghana will have speed train and her economy will take another further leap for good. Is Nigeria cursed or jinxed with bad leadership?

Few people did not know about this but it made an editorial in the Guardian. Why did OBJ reject the Canadian contract which was cheaper, would take less time to complete and offered improved speed that is in conformity with what is obtainable in Europe and America? Only for him to give a contract worth far more and far less in value to the same Chinese whom Abacha paid God knows how much to?

These are some of the REFORMS we are currently enjoying. Abi how una see am? These are the reforms Yar Adua wishes to continue. There are so many of such projects undertaken by OBJ which we do not know of. Let us think this properly, This current railway project is obviously a waste of tax payers money.

We dey here, Ghana don celebrate years of bye-bye to power failure, we go dey here Ghana go get fast railway and we go still dey here Benin go leapfrog to space and we go still dey do reform,

@Jaybaba

Can you prove all these things you have said here? Or are you one of the never see anything good in Nigeria?

Jaybaba:

This railway is a a white elephant project. Most of us do not read the news and all the details contained therein. Only last year, a Canadian firm offered to build a better track and supply international coaches that run on LNG for Nigeria.

trains that run on Liquified Natural Gas? That's the first time I've heard of that.

@ Mariory

Thank u O jare - people just say anything without getting the facts right.

@ Mariory There is always a first time for everything


@ alabiyemmy I am sorry to disappoint u but I have lived in Nigeria for most of my life so when I say Nigerians are the most enduring people on earth believe me I know wat I am saying. I am not being pessimistic I am only trying to be realistic.There is a difference between these 2 words.

Dont make it sound like I am saying that nothing good comes out of Nigeria.What I am saying is dat our leaders (all of them) are a bunch of crap and the sooner we begin to admit that the better for us.

@ Uche2nna

Is it a case of "I aint afraid to eat my words because it wont cause me indigestion!"

Jaybaba

I think they rejected it because it was an upgrade of the old system and most coaches would have to be constructed esp for it when they need a repair, the old system is outdated only used in india and mauritania i think

this new contract is brand new and coaches and other equip are being used in other parts of the world so they wont have to construct guages and coaches specifically for it. they can easily order new/second hand ones really.

theres no point buying a 1915 motor when you cant get the spare parts or technicians to repair it

Thank you @ LoverBwoy - this shows there are still reasonable thinkers on this forum.

@ tbam Does it look like it to u?


I still maintain that Nigeria is a country that have not known leadership for a long time, I never for one time doubted the capabilities of Nigerians of which I am one of.

Leaders with good intentions in Nigeria      I still say  NO R u still confused on which case it is?

@LoverBwoy

In that case, our leaders are actually good leaders. They're not only looking at price but also looking at quality and long-term feasibility. I applaud them if what you say is actually true.

It wouldn't be a bad idea travelling from Lagos to Enugu via. train, enjoy the scenery and all of that. Hopefully it is completed in 10 years atleast.

well you can say some have good intentions especially when they themselves with their import and export businesses of course are involved

If would actually be a good thing if Nigerians get access to the contracts, they should include late penalty clauses- for every month the project is delayed unnecessarily they get huge fines $500m

Loverbwoy,
I guess the Canadian firm knows we're richly blessed with abundant Natural Gas reserves and that must have informed their thinking of building LNG-powered goods and passenger trains for Nigeria. The thinking here is that we'll be provided with very cheaply powered, efficient and clean locomotives. It's a well known fact that LNG (Liquified Natural Gas) is one of the cleanest fuel source around in the world today. I don't see anything wrong with that. And if their reputation, as stated by Jaybaba is that sound, then I think they've got nothing to loose, and no harm to us, by coming to Naija to build such rail networks and trains.

Our problem in this country, as everyone has acknowledge so far, is stinking leadership. And I must state that the OBJ years are probably the most directionless, disoriented and wasteful of all the administrations we've had as a country.

@ ONO

So which has been the best?

Which was better?

_{thats a question that is even harder to answer}

so which one is better?