₦airaland Forum

Cyph98:
More of heresay if you ask me. Yes, Libya was rich but Gaddafi was a sponsor of terrorists, He backed anyone who was ready to instil terror on the west, Idi Amin was one of his allies.

I guess Libya just had too much wealth considering its population (6 million or so) that ended up intoxicating Gaddafi

Libya under Gaddafi and the present Libya which one is better??

People please ignore this Irunooboo guy.Don't give his post any relevance.Using the word "guy and his" because I suspect that he is a man.

Wearing medicated glasses to play soccer??

Yeah bro you are right.As regards pension matters I suggest you talk to Leadway Pensure.They have offices nationwide.

RIP Bro

If you are super intelligent then Unizik is for you.But if you are an average student then UNN is the school.

I go Innjoo you ooo!

He has passed away at the age of 74

True federalism or Biafra

All this long sermon just to prove that GEJ did not invest in the railways.Smcheew

68816419:
who started what, i am amazed how ignorant Nigerians are,GEJ never did any thing,GEJ did 6 years and could not even complete any of the projects

Nigerian Railway Modernization and Expansion Program


http://www.ngex.com/business/public/Broadcast-by-President-Obasanjo-on-Nigerian-Railway-Modernization-and


Broadcast by
His Excellency, President Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR
On Nigerian Railway Modernization and Expansion Programme
Abuja, August 9, 2006


Fellow compatriots

It is with gratitude to God and great joy that I address you today as we mark another milestone in our on-going efforts to rejuvenate and reposition our country for greatness and sustained development. We have resolutely embraced reforms in order to move away from a past that was characterized by fiscal recklessness, plan indiscipline, misplaced priorities, and general insensitivity to the plight of the Nigerian people.

I am pleased to note that our reforms, your sacrifices and commitment to purposeful change are now yielding results. On all sectors of the economy, we are witnessing rapid changes and these are being acknowledged by the international community especially by our development partners. While we give thanks to God and I specially commend all Nigerians, we cannot and must not rest on our oars until we get to our set goals and destinations.

One area in which we have invested a lot of time, energy and resources is infrastructural rehabilitation and development. It is difficult to believe that in the decade before 1999, not a single investment was made in the power sector. The railway was not an exception to this neglect and policy indifference. Hence, I am pleased and proud to inform you all today, that the government has come up with a very bold and comprehensive agenda for the re-development, modernization and expansion of our national railway transportation system to meet our socio-economic, political, cultural development and integration objectives.

Broadly speaking, transportation offers tremendous potentials and opportunities for activating, stimulating and integrating national economies and ensuring national interaction and unity. The role of the railway mode of transport in particular has been quite significant in this respect and is quite evident in international economic and social relations and even within nations such as Nigeria.

No nation has achieved holistic development in all its ramifications without a coherent, integrated, efficient and reliable transportation system. It is therefore important that we place our railway development in proper historical perspective in order to fully appreciate the importance of our new path and approach in our inter-modal and comprehensive transportation system planning and development.

This inter-modal system includes road, inland waterways, and air transportation. Our investments in these areas are coordinated to make a lasting impact through a holistic transportation system across the country. Though I have not included bicycles in the inter-modal list of transport systems, it must not be forgotten, if only for its physical exercise and therefore, health implications.

The development of railways in Nigeria, like in most African countries was the initiative of the Colonial Administration with the objectives of exercising full political control, penetrating the hinterland, and evacuating goods to the coast for export to develop and feed their industry.

Actual railway construction in Nigeria commenced in 1898 with a 32 km line of 1067mm gauge from Iddo (Lagos State) to Otta (Ogun State), which was further extended to Ibadan covering a total of 193 km in 1901. Railway construction continued incrementally in such manners between 1901–1910, Ibadan–Jebba (295 km); 1907–1911, Kano–Baro (562 km); 1909–1915, Jebba–Minna (252 km); 1914–1916, Port-Harcourt–Enugu (243 km); and 1922–1927, Kafanchan–Jos (179 km).

Unfortunately, in spite of the obvious benefits of railway transportation, further development was more or less stultified between 1927 and 1958- a period of thirty-one years. It was not until 1958 with the construction of Kafanchan to Bauchi line (238 km) that work resumed on the rail system. This was followed between 1961–1964 with the Bauchi-Maiduguri line (302km).

This brought the total rail route of the Nigerian Railway Network to 3505 km (and if sidings are included, to 4,332 km).

In addition to the network mentioned is the 277 km on-going standard gauge railway specifically built and being dedicated to the steel complexes of Ajaokuta, Delta (Warri) and Itakpe (Iron-Ore mine). This line that stretches from Itakpe through Ajaokuta to Warri is at 90% completion level and would be put into full operational use this year as a Concession line to the operators of the concessioned Ajaokuta Steel Plants.

The emergence of the Nigerian Government Railways in 1912 was paradoxical and challenging especially with the amalgamation of the Northern and Southern Protectorates in 1914. Railway development in Nigeria during this period brought in its wake great socio-cultural impact as seen in the movement of traders from different regions and ethnic background to commercial towns created by railway activities. Besides normal commercial activities in these new commercial towns, inter-ethnic marriages, new dressing habits, food and languages and new tourist attractions, have emerged including mega towns referred to in Nigeria as Railway Towns. These include Lagos, Umuahia, Zaria, Kano, Kafanchan, Jos, Enugu, Aba and Port Harcourt.

The establishment of the Nigerian Railway Corporation in 1955 with sole responsibility for the provision of rail transport in Nigeria provided an exciting opportunity for the movement of goods and persons across the country. The corporation performed reasonably well between 1955 and 1979. In the period 1972 – 1979, in spite of efforts by Government to rehabilitate and reposition the sector, a steady process of decline in its business operations had set in.
This process was later accelerated by the systemic decay of the Corporation’s entire infrastructure, manpower and institutions.

Statistics on passenger and freight traffic show that while the Corporation in 1964 carried 11,288,000 passengers and 2,960,000 tonnes of freight, these figures dropped to 4,342,000 passengers and 1,098,000 tonnes of freight in 1974. Thereafter passenger traffic gradually grew back to 6.7 million in 1978 and reached a peak of 15.5 million in 1984 with the help of RITES of India brought in by our military administration. This declined again to 3.0 million in 1991 and 1.6 million in 2003. The same dismal performance is also reflected in the freight traffic fluctuation from 3 million tones in the 1960’s and 1970’s to less than 100,000 tonnes in recent times.

The same deplorable performance is reflected in the 6% daily locomotive availability rate and in the fact that only 25% of the over 700 Coaches and 4,000 wagons were available for use in recent times. It was certainly a combination of corruption, poor management, inefficiency, lack of adequate marketing, failure to develop new lines and to plan ahead or introduce new technology and adapt to global best practices that saw the near total collapse of the railway in Nigeria.

Government made several efforts in the last 20 years to address the deterioration. Such efforts included:

(a) Techno-Managerial Services by Rites of India (1979 – 1982);

(b) Romanian Project for the supply of Rolling Stock and
Workshop equipment (1986 – 1996) but inconclusive; and

(c) CCECC Track Rehabilitation and some Rolling Stock (1995 – 2003).

In addition to these efforts, studies were concluded on how to get the railway started including the 25-Year Vision Plan which provided the global framework and benchmark for possible Rail expansion and modernization for over 8,000 kms linking all State Capitals and major population centres and industrial areas in the country to be developed over a period of twenty-five years. The report was prepared in 2002.

As part of the effort to bring in private capital, skills and technology, the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) is already considering the possibility of concessioning the existing East, West and Central lines (i.e. Port-Harcourt to Maiduguri with link line from Kafanchan to Kaduna; Lagos to Kano; and Itakpe to Ajaokuta to Warri Rail Lines respectively). Even this requires minimal rehabilitation to get value for money from concessionaires.

Today, we have a new vision, a new commitment, and a holistic strategic plan encompassing expansion and modernization of the Railway to be implemented within a 25-year time frame. Various scenarios and options of commencing and progressing with the implementation of the Plan have been presented for consideration at various fora. Following the presentation of Draft Final Proposal to the Federal Executive Council on 19th July, 2006 the Federal Government endorsed an implementation Plan entailing:

(a) 3 Nos. Longitudinal Lines, Lagos – Up North, Warri – Up North and Port Harcourt – Up North

(b) 4 Nos. Latitudinal Lines; and

(c) Branch and Extension Lines.

This covers all the State Capitals and major commercial centers in the country. Within this framework, it is further agreed that the 1st Phase of the Railway Line should entail the Lagos–Kano Standard gauge, double track railway line spanning over 1315 kilometers with a loop from Minna to Abuja and only Abuja to Kaduna being single track due to inadequate anticipated traffic. It was further agreed that the scope of work, segmentation and construction will follow 5 segments:

1. Lagos – Ibadan

2. Ibadan – Ilorin

3. Ilorin – Minna

4. Minna – Kano; and

5. Minna – Abuja – Kaduna.

This new approach will significantly impact on our people and their communities. It will ease movement, reduce reliance on vehicles and the airport, promote tourism, and build on the foundations of integration, unity, cooperation, and social harmony that we have been working so hard to consolidate.

The design criteria or technical features are:

1. A speed of 120 to 150 km/hour for passenger service

2. A speed of 80km/hour for freight service

3. Rail gauge of 1435 mm Standard Gauge

4. Maximum gradient of 12%, and in exceptional situations 15%;

5. Minimum curve radius: ordinary terrain 2000m, difficult terrain 1200m;

6. Traction type: diesel-electric engine (3 phase engine).

7. Axle weight: 23 tons

8. Type of rail: 60kg/m

9. Block type: computer interlocking, inter-station automatic block, subject to being upgradeable.

10. Continuous welded rail shall be applied on all the tracks.

The construction of the rail line will employ tens of thousands of Nigerians immediately. The entire project will promote technology transfer, the building of new skills, and the development of rail allied industries. As much as possible, local materials will be used.
Furthermore, the towns and communities around the railways will experience an improved socio-economic activity that reduces their unemployment rates.

Fellow Nigerians, this is a critical stage of our national economic growth and development. Our much desired national economic growth, development and cohesion can only be achieved with a modern and virile transportation system of which railway is a very critical part. Therefore, all Nigerians should co-operate with the Government, its consultants and contractors to ensure that the project is completed at the scheduled time for the benefit of all.

Phase I is scheduled to be completed in four years at a cost of $8.3 billion of which $2 billion is being obtained as soft loan from the Chinese Government. Phase II, which will be the second spine of the backbone- Port Harcourt to Jos, with the same design criteria, will follow on the heels of Phase I.

In this regard, those who have encroached on railway land should quietly leave such piece of land to save the Government and themselves the effort of using all means to reclaim such right of way. There will also be need to acquire new land for the modernization and expansion to new locations. I appeal to State Governments and land occupiers to co-operate in making land available for this all-important project.

By the grace of God Almighty, contract formalities for the award and commencement of Lagos–Kano 1st Phase Project of the modernization programme will be signed this month; and construction work will commence immediately thereafter.

To start with, the Federal Government is committing the sum of US$2.5 billion dollars – one billion dollars from the Chinese Government concessionary loan and with one and a half billion dollars Federal Government counterpart additions between 2006 and 2007. It is my hope that subsequent Administrations will buy into this vision and that other friendly countries will offer similar concessionary loan assistance to continue the project in the years ahead with the possibility of a West African regional railway system.

I look forward to the successful completion of the first phase of the Project and the realization of our 25-Year Rail Vision for our benefit and those of succeeding generations. Let us collectively welcome the new future of railway service in Nigeria.

May God continue to bless our dear country, Nigeria.

Thank you

Please consult a property lawyer or buy the Lagos state law on tenancy

Those managers should be self employed and employ people.They have made alot of money in the banking industry.Its time for them to give back to the society/economy

Where is Director Nnamdi Kalu on your list??

Amen

Na today him sabi say some Rivers and Bayelsa youths no like work

Thanks OP

Front page sharply sharply

Update your phone.Gionee has sent a software to resolve the download issue

Chai! Oga Dino the person wey do you this thing eehhh

That's the CHANGE you can see!

They should bear it with dignity because CHANGE HAS COME.

Reeberry:
I think it now have system update. Go update your device and try it again.

Spot on! My S plus had the same problem until I updated the device

The death is a spiritual one. It means that the relationship with the most high is broken. Once a person falls out with God that person is dead spiritually.That's why Jesus Christ came and died so that the relationship with God will be amended and we will have eternal life. I don't expect the atheist to accept this because they cannot understand it

Juan73:
300K,2Bedroom Flat,Flat 4,Block B,2-6 Obiageli Estate Amovu,Amawbia,Awka South,Anambra State!

Please can I get a lower price for a 2 bedroom in Awka?Also the location.Thanks a mil

aresa:
He stood by and fought for his people by looting them dry and left them with not even 1 classroom as accomplishment...


What kind of people are you people? smh..

He was the governor that built Niger Delta University in Wilberforce Island,Bayelsa.Recieve sense and let it be permanently yours.

Bros you can lie o !That picture Na for PH Na.

080....

Leadway Assurance for Insurance products and Leadway Pensure PFA for pension fund administration.Thank me later

Fash we have obeyed you and have voted out PDP and voted in APC.But I'm very worried because I'm still using power bank to charge my phone in my house.The power lines are still dormant.We now use them to dry laundries.

EduRegard:
but don't you think many churches resorted into such preaching of financial stability and all because they believe that's what the people need and it's the best way to keep them glued to the church??

How about keeping them glued to God especially in this end time? Will financial stability count for them on that great day? NO!

Google is a friend.You can Google the phone to read users reviews

ViVaMadrid:
The word is 'commenting' and not 'commentating'. Oh! You're welcome.

The word is 'commenting' and not 'commentating'. Oh! You're welcome.

Guy! free dictionary dey play store o.Its commentating. And oh you're welcome