₦airaland Forum

No hope on this government...

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Chai

It cost the federal government N1.7 billion ($4.7 million) to construct each kilometre of the186km Abuja-Kaduna rail project, Daily Trust investigations have revealed.

Our investigations showed that the cost is more expensive than other railway projects in Africa.

The $874 million (N317.3 billion) railway project was built by the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CECC).

An analysis of the cost and capacity of standard gauge rail (SGR) projects in other parts of Africa showed that the Abuja-Kaduna project is among the most expensive.

It beats Africa’s first modern trans-border electric rail which is located between Ethiopia and Djibouti.

Cost comparisons have been made between this line and Ethiopia’s 756km Addis Ababa-Djibouti line launched last year.

The Ethiopia-Djibouti rail which is double track, electrified and built at the cost of $3.4 billion.

This means it cost about $4.4 million (N1.5 billion) per kilometre in comparison to Nigeria’s single track and diesel-powered Abuja-Kaduna rail.

Abuja-Kaduna rail

Nigeria’s first standard gauge railway tracks start from Idu, near Abuja, to Rigasa in Kaduna. It features both passenger and cargo trains. The rail has nine stations and a designed speed of 150km per hour.

The cargo trains, carrying 800 tons of goods, will take one and half hours to travel between the two cities, according to Railway International.

Like the Ethiopia’s, the Abuja-Kaduna line was financed by the Chinese EXIM bank which provided $500 million as a concessionary loan for the project. The remainder was provided by the federal government.

The Abuja-Kaduna rail line was conceived by the Obasanjo administration. The track laying for the single standard gauge line was officially launched in July 2013 by President Goodluck Jonathan.

In October 2014, the federal executive council (FEC) approved $6.6 million for the procurement of two locomotives for the Abuja- Kaduna rail. However, the project was stalled due inadequate funding.

President Muhammadu Buhari administration revived the project in 2015 and inaugurated the line on July 26, 2016.

The project was the first segment to be implemented as part of the Lagos-Kano standard gauge project under the first standard gauge railway modernisation projects (SGRMP) in Nigeria.

Ethiopia- Djibouti electric rail

The 753km Ethiopia-Djibouti railway modernisation project, also known as the Addis Ababa-Djibouti railway, is the first modern electrified railway line in East Africa.

The project is jointly owned by the governments of Ethiopia and Djibouti and constructed by China Railway Group and (CCECC).

The project was initiated in 2011, it was completed and formally inaugurated for passenger services in October 2016.

It involved laying double-track for the first 115km from Addis Ababa to Adama, and single track for the remaining 600km to Djibouti.

Travelling at 120km/h, the train service cuts the journey time down from three days by road to about 12 hours.

The project employed approximately 20,000 local workers in Ethiopia and 5,000 in Djibouti

Another expensive rail

Findings by Daily Trust have shown that it’s not only Nigeria that gets rail costing more than usual.

Like Nigeria’s, the first Kenyan major modern railway, running between the capital Nairobi and the coastal city of Mombasa, is another Chinese project executed at “prohibitive cost,” which generated criticisms from Kenyans.

It was constructed at $5.6 million per kilometre for the track alone, making the line cost close to three times the international standard and four times the original estimate. This made it more expensive than Nigeria’s.

Kenya’s new 472km railway was financed by $3.2 billion Chinese loans.

Kenyan government advisers, Canadian Pacific Consulting Services (CPSC), had challenged its economic viability in a 2009 study before the even project started.

It described the project “cost prohibitive” using “even the most optimistic” traffic and income projections. But the government said many bridges and tunnels, land compensation, were responsible for the high cost.

Nigeria’s rail not over priced – NRC

The Managing Director of the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) Engr. Fidet Okhiria told Daily Trust that Nigeria’s rail facilities are not over priced compared to other countries.

He said a lot of factors were considered in building a rail line and that impact cost. He said the cost of the rail also depends on the facilities being provided on the track as no rail line is ever the same.

In the case of Nigeria, he said rail contract included the provision of workshops, train stations, telecoms/signaling facilities and it is also double track rail facility.

According to him, Nigeria’s tracks are at least 150 pounds weighted. There are some rail lines for less he said, which means less cost.

“The Kenyan rail facility, for instance, cost $3.2 billion despite being 250km, less than that of Ethiopia. Each kilometer of the track alone is believed to cost $5.6 million.

“It is a 506 kilometre rail line also financed by the Chinese. The desert express in USA is over $10m per kilometer,” the Nigerian railway chief said.

“In fact even that of America, the same CRCC built it for them yet is expensive,” he said.

Why it’s expensive- CCECC

China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CECC), the firm that built the Abuja-Kaduna rail line explained to Daily Trust why the project was expensive.

In an interview in his office, the CCECC Deputy Managing Director Mr Qian Hongxiang, said unlike Ethiopia’s, the Abuja - Kaduna line has a curve radius of 160m which means that the track is straight.

“The Abuja - Kaduna line is a speed train at 150km per hour. This means the track must be straight. That is to say you don’t avoid rivers, hills, valleys or whatever. The track must be straight to avoid accident because of the speed of the train. This means more bridges, more bull dozing of rocks, and more money spent,” Mr Hongxiang said.

Another distinction from Ethiopia’s according to him is that, CCECC was granted tax exemption when it was building the Ethiopia - Djibouti line.

“But no tax exemption was granted to us in Nigeria for the Abuja - Kaduna rail. You know that we have to import almost everything for the project. And we have to pay tax,” he said.

Mr Hongxiang said design, bridges, stations, terrain, and environment, determine the cost of railway not necessarily the cost per kilometre.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/abuja-kaduna-rail-costs-n1-7bn-per-kilometre.html

Sai baba...

hmmm

May departed souls rest in peace

The National Vice President of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association (MACBA), Malam Husaini Yusuf Bosso has said that he never warned of the possibility of more bloodbaths over the anti-grazing law introduced by Governor Samuel Ortom as reported recently in the media

Bosso was quoted in one of the national dailies as warning barely 48 hours after the mass burial of the 73 victims of recent clash that gripped Benue state, that only the scrapping of the anti-grazing law would end further bloodbaths’.

However in an interview with journalists over the development on Sunday in Minna Bosso said, “what I told the journalist who called me from Lagos was that as an association, we are ready to collaborate with the Benue State government and other stakeholders towards finding an amicable resolution to the crisis”.

He said as an umbrella herder’s association, “we never supported any form of violence from herders in any parts of the country where they reside and we cannot therefore begin to encourage bloodbath in Benue, which has become home to our members with some borne and breed there.”

He said herders have for many decades cohabited peacefully with natives in Gboko, Katsina Alla, Vandenkiya and other parts of the State before Nigeria independence until now and could hardly trace their roots, adding that the association would do all it can to encourage the communal living that had existed between the two groups for time immemorial.

He explained that the association although was not consulted for its input before the law was passed, it however adviced the Governor to ensure serious enlightment and sensitization before its implementation as well as allocating grazing area for the herders.

He said the state government is aware that it can hardly allocated enough land for ranching like it was done in Obudu, Cross River and part of Tararaba because there is serious competition for available land by farmers

“As you know the Tivs go to states like Niger, Tararaba, Nasarawa and Cross Rivers among others to settle for farming because of inadequate land for agricultural purpose yet the governor talk about ranching. Even the governor’s cows also graze in the open like those of herders”, he claimed.

The vice president said it also adviced the state government to use security operatives in the enforcement of the law but the governor chooses to engage the services of land guards who have been attacking and terrorizing herders.

He also said in the interview he granted, he never said land guards collaborate with security operatives to harass herders as reported.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/i-didn-t-call-for-more-bloodbath-in-benue-macba-vice-president.html

The opposition party said APC governors have been rushing to Abuja to meet Buh‎ari in order to have soft landing because of their poor performance, adding that Buhari himself would be "inevitably" defeated.

In a statement on Sunday in Abuja, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan also challenged the APC to immediately test its popularity among Nigerians by conducting free, fair and credible local council elections in states under its contro‎l.

The party said Nigerians have re-connected with it because of the inability of the APC-led government to deliver good governance.

"Instead of facing the people, APC governors who are now scared stiff of the looming disgrace awaiting them, are busy running to Abuja for help, forgetting that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Presidency will also face an inevitable crushing defeat in 2019.

"The APC knows it cannot face the more than 8 million Nigerians it has rendered jobless with its reckless policies. They know that judgment awaits them from thousands of workers who were unjustly sacked in the states where APC governors rule, particularly Kogi and Kaduna.

"The APC cannot also return to the states where countless helpless families' breadwinners painfully paid the supreme price due to untold hardship under their misrule.

"The party also knows it cannot return to the families of those slaughtered in Benue, Taraba, Adamawa, Borno and other parts of the country by marauders encouraged and emboldened by the indifference of the federal government and the unguarded comments from unpatriotic Presidential aides.
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"We all know that the APC is mortally afraid of going into any election, particularly at the grassroots, as Nigerians across board are bitter with them for their deceit and the wrecking of our once robust economy.

"Nigerians are also at pains over the poor welfare direction of the ruling party which has resulted in the penetrating hardship now being suffered under the APC controlled federal government.

"The APC is petrified because Nigerians have renewed their interest in the PDP as the only genuine people-oriented party. This new thinking among Nigerians has been clearly demonstrated with ‎PDP’s sweeping victory in Osun senatorial bye election as well as the recent local council polls in Ekiti and Delta states.

"Today, the APC knows it cannot go back to the same electorate it scammed in 2015 with lies and empty promises; promises of bogus jobs, monthly stipends, free meals, free houses, reduction of fuel price, bringing the dollar to the same value with the naira and other phantom promises," the PDP said.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/buhari-won-t-save-you-in-2019-pdp-tells-apc-governors.html

congrats

hmmm

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Good one

ECWA

Leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) also known as Shiite, Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, told journalists in Abuja yesterday that he is fine.

El-Zakzaky was recently rumoured to have died in custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) where he has been detained for about two years.

Text messages and WhatsApp messages were circulated alleging that El-Zakzaky died in custody caused by wounds suffered from gunshots during his arrest.

El-Zakzaky spoke to journalists’ yesterday afternoon at a safe facility in Abuja.

He reportedly walked towards the journalists in a white flowing gown with a turban.

The short conversation with the journalists was reported thus:

Journalist: Good afternoon, sir?

Sheikh Zakzaky: How are you? Journalist: Can we have a word with you? Sheikh El-Zakzaky: If they agree and allow me (He says so jokingly)

Journalist: How are you feeling now?

Sheik El-Zakzaky: I am feeling better. The security officers have allowed me to see my doctor, my personal doctor. I thank God, I am improving.

Journalist: Do you have anything to add.

Sheikh El-Zakzaky: I thank you for all your prayers

Journalist: Thank you sir

Sheikh ElZakzaky: Thanks (As he walks away)

Also speaking to journalists, a DSS official, Nnenna Nnochiri said: “In the last few days, two days to be particular, yesterday importantly, there was unfounded rumour which was spread across Nigeria that the leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, Shiek El-Zakzaky, passed on in the custody of the Service.

“As you can see in the last few minutes and you also interviewed him and he by himself pointedly told you that he is okay.”

He added that, “every doubting Thomas across Nigeria and those who wanted to capitalise on the said rumour to cause trouble in Nigeria have seen that the man is alive. He’s on his feet, he is hale and hearty. He is up and doing, and you saw him with his wife.

“The fact is that some people wanted to take advantage of some developments in some parts of the country to further make trouble and mobilise the people to engage in untoward activities, which can impact negatively on the security, stability and order of the nation.

“The fact is that now that they have seen that the man is alive, now that they have seen that nothing happened to the man, it is our believe that such persons who ab ignitio, had planned to take advantage of such situations and who have seen that the rumour is unfounded should desist from any plan they must have put in place.

“Nigeria must remain very stable, Nigerians for us must trust the government and security agencies to provide enabling environment for citizens to pursue their legislate business,” he said.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/el-zakzaky-speaks-says-i-m-fine.html

Congratulations

A retired motor park tout...

Sad news

Sai Baba...

hmmm

Precisely, on Monday, August 31, 2015, many people caught the glimpse of Terwase Akwasa, popularly known as “Ghana” for the first time at the Government House in Makurdi.

That day, a crowd had gathered to witness the public surrender of 84 weapons by Ghana, an alleged notorious armed militia kingpin believed to have terrorised residents within Benue and Taraba states border towns.

For the young administration of Governor Samuel Ortom, which was then barely three months old, the feat was historic, at least it was the best thing to have happened to the All Progressives Congress (APC) government now at the helms and determined to prove a point to the defeated Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Before then, the dreaded Ghana had not beeen known to the public.

Even during the administration of ex-governor Suswam, the name of the alleged kingpin sounded mysterious to some people who in their estimation concluded him to be spiritually powerful beyond human destruction.

Thereafter, he was given the job of spearheading produce revenue generation across the 23 local government areas of the state after being subjected to a one-month reformation programme alongside many other youths who denounced their bad ways.

A brief ceremony was held at the Government House on that particular day Ghana showed up, accompanied by members of the amnesty programme, his wife, Queen and their few months old baby, Rev. Father Abraham, some clergies as well as a lawyer, Barr. Terfa Jirgba, representing his interest while the Catholic Bishop of Kastina-Ala Diocese, Bishop Peter Adobo was applauded for the role he played to turn up the repentant kingpin.

Gana, before he surrendered, was believed to have masterminded several killings, unrest and chaos around the zone A, Benue North East senatorial district of the state and so observers at the event had feared that his repentance might likely not be genuine. But speakers at the occasion had assured intermittently that the amnesty was for real and that the society had no need to panic.

Before he embraced the amnesty, his alleged activities in Kastina-Ala, his home local government area and its surroundings, forced certain security headquarters in Abuja to deploy their team of operatives to troubled sections of the state for proper investigation, but sadly, some members of the task force on special assignment were felled by the bullets of the hoodlums suspected to be Ghana’s boys.

Needless to say that at different times he was declared wanted severally by security agencies in the both states of Benue and Taraba in connection with various crimes around the Tiv-speaking areas of the two states.

Amazingly, on that fateful Monday afternoon, he stormed the Government House in Makurdi in the company of his wife, clergies, lawyer and relatives to willingly denounce his illegal activities in the presence of heads of security agencies in the state, his ‘sins’ were promptly forgiven.

In his remark at the occasion, Ghana had confessed that the incessant land disputes between his Tiv kinsmen in both Benue and Taraba states led him into terrorism as he fortified himself to defend his people who were being overrun “by the enemy.”

He apologised for his bad behaviour and pledged absolute support for the amnesty programme on behalf of his group who he said made him head of the local militia to wade off attacks in his Gbishe community of Kastina-Ala local government area.

Thereafter, Ortom intimated that as a result of Gana’s willingness to turn in himself, the security council had reviewed the amnesty programme and extended it to a period of four weeks, till the end of September so that his boys would have the opportunity to key into the amnesty.

According to the governor: “Agwaza popularly called Ghana became terror to Benue and Taraba states as a result of his illegal activities and he was declared wanted in both states. But, he has come willingly and surrendered his weapons. We have succeeded this far due to the intervention from the Catholic Bishop of Kastina-Ala diocese.”

Based on that declaration, the Ortom administration absorbed him, but the romance was rather short-lived following the murder of an aide to the governor, Denen Igbana in May, 2016 for which he was allegedly fingered.

Soon, there were series of killings in Kastina-Ala, Ukum and Logo local government areas respectively, including that of over 20 deaths recorded at the Zaki-Biam market on March, 22, 2017, which occurred after gunmen suspected to Ghana’s boys opened fire on innocent traders and buyers.

Apart from allegedly carrying out his personal illegal activities in the area, the dreaded kingpin was said to have been used by many politicians in the past, especially before, during and after the general elections of 2011 and 2015 in suspected deadly operations by militias in the area believed to be headed by Ghana.

Irked by various other killings linked to the handiwork of the kingpin after he fell out of romance with the present administration, angry Ortom and joint security outfits in the state declared Ghana wanted and placed the sum of N5 million ransom on his head.

Since then, several arrests of suspected criminals in connection with Ghana had been made but he is yet to be captured. However, Ortom in his determination to find the kingpin at all cost has reviewed the ransom upward to N10 million and nothing lately had been heard of him.

Sometimes last year, the governor was propelled to warn people of Ghana’s hometown from shielding him, as he posited that, “Those who are afraid in Katsina-Ala and Sankera to talk about Ghana are just wasting their time. The people from Sankera are shielding him which is not good. Ghana is being shielded by his people. It’s unfortunate. All the chiefs in his area have run away. Ghana’s days are numbered, he will be arrested. People should not be afraid to report him,” Ortom said.

Ghana was the ring leader of a militia group who operated in the Sankera axis of the state until he was granted amnesty by the state government in August, 2015 after he surrendered his weapons.

He was later accused by the present administration of murder, kidnapping, among others and subsequently advised to report to the police in connection with the murder of Ortom’s Special Assistant on Special Security, the late Denen Igbana, who made a dying declaration that Ghana was among his killers.

Interestingly, the world may look at Ghana as a crook, but where he hailed from, he is a hero following his ability to wade off target against his community and for even establishing a secondary school for his Gbishe community.

Meanwhile, Ghana, in August, 2016 told Channels Television in an interview from his hideout that he did not kill Igbana, adding that he declined to honour the police invitation because he was not sure of his safety.

More than 300 persons on Saturday were rendered homeless in Yenagoa, after fire gutted a neighbourhood in Ekeki suburb of the Bayelsa capital.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) learns that the inferno, which occurred at about 2a.m. today, also destroyed valuables worth millions of naira. The cause of the fire has not been ascertained.

Residents of the affected area located behind the Ekeki Divisional Police Station said they lost to the fire, items such as generator sets, television sets, bales of fabrics, huge sums of money and phones, among others.

However, no life was lost in the fire mishap.

One of the residents, who gave his name simply as Nicholas, suspected that the fire might have been caused by a candle as there was no electricity supply when the incident occurred.

He said that firemen who arrived at the scene in three vehicles stopped the fire from spreading to the Ekeki Police Station.

“It happened this morning, some minutes to 2a.m. We have not slept since then till now. Three fire-fighting vehicles came and stopped the fire. If not it could have entered the police station.

“We don’t know what caused the fire. Whether it was candle light, we don’t know. But it started with a little smoke coming out from someone’s house and a woman saw it, but she did not tell anybody.

“We are over 300 people living here: families, husbands and wives and their children, we are over 300 here.

“One woman lost N300,000 that some persons kept in her custody. Her husband’s money was N120,000. Everything got burnt, one kobo is not remaining,’’ Nicholas said.

He appealed to the Bayelsa government and well-meaning organisations and individuals to come to their aid as they could not salvage their valuables

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/fire-outbreak-renders-300-homeless-in-yenagoa.html

Tomisin Orogbogbo A Tinubu Chief Magistrates’ Court on Friday, ordered that a 34-year-old man be remanded in Ikoyi prison for allegedly assaulting his wife, Bukola and biting off the tip of her nose. Bisi Adebiosu, who resides at No. 34 Verimacqueen Str., Lagos Island, is facing a two-count charge of domestic violence and assault occasioning harm.

The prosecutor, Insp Nurudeen Thomas, told the court that the accused committed the offences on Jan. 9 at the couple’s resident. He said that on the said day, the accused beat his wife, an auxiliary nurse and a mother of two to a pump and bit off the tip of her nose.

He said that the couple, who got married in 2007, started having problems when the wife got employed at a private hospital. He told the court that the husband, who owns a a boutique, in front of their house, started complaining about his wife’s new dressing sense to work. “Adebiosu beats his wife and does not provide for the family, ” he told the court.

Thomas said that the offences contravened Sections 11(a) (b) of the Protection Against Domestic Violence Law, 2007 and the 176 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015. While 11(a) (b) prescribes five years imprisonment with or an option of N100,000 for any one found guilty of the charge, section 176 stipulates three-year imprisonment for offenders . The accused, who pleaded guilty to the charge of assault, however, said he was not guilty to the charge of domestic violence.

He told the court that he mistakenly bit off his wife’s nose in anger. The accused told the court that on the day in question, he got home and met his children crying and when he asked the whereabouts of their mother, he was told she was at a party two houses away.

“I met my wife finishing off her fourth bottle of Stout in the midst of men; I had to force her home and during the struggle I mistakenly bite her nose. “I do the best I can to take of our family but my wife does not give me the respect that I deserve as her husband”, he said.

The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Kikelomo Ayeye, however, remanded the accused at Ikoyi prison and adjourned the case until Feb. 12 for further hearing.(NAN)

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/man-bites-off-wife-s-nose-remanded.html

Seven northern governors, elected on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress, visited President Muhammadu Buhari at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa in Abuja on Friday and declared that they wanted him to get a second term.

They were Governors Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna State), Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano), Yahaya Bello (Kogi), Simon Lalong (Plateau), Jubrilla Bindow (Adamawa), Ibrahim Geidam (Yobe) and Abubakar Bello (Niger).

The governors went into a closed-door meeting with President Buhari after some joined him in observing juma’at service at the State House mosque.

Addressing State House correspondents after the meeting which lasted about two hours, el-Rufa’i said they wanted President Buhari to seek reelection and continue to run Nigeria in the right direction.

Asked what his response would be to those who might say their visit was about 2019 elections, El-rufai said: ‘We are politicians, and those of us you see here want the president to contest the 2019 election, we have no apologies for that.”

“We believe in Mr. President, we want him to continue running the country in the right direction. People can speculate about 2019, we have no apologies.”

“Whether they are right or wrong is beside the point. Everybody is entitled to his own opinion, but as governors, and most of us here, with the exception of Yobe governor, are first-time governors. We are interested in the continuity and stability and we want the president to continue with that,” El-Rufai said.

Earlier, Ganduje had noted that he and his colleagues went to the Presidential Villa separately, “not for any purpose, but after the Friday prayers, we decided to say hello to Mr President. It is just coincidence that we met in the mosque and some joined us later and we decided to go to greet him.”

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/northern-governors-stand-by-buhari-s-2nd-term.html

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