Lagos Red Line Rail: Lai Mohammed wrong —Transport ministry
The Federal Ministry of Transport has accused the national
publicity secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Lai
Muhammed, of deliberate falsehood in his claims that President Goodluck
Jonathan had denied Lagos State the Right of Way in respect of the
state’s Red Line Rail Project.
Mohammed had, in a statement last week accused the Federal Government of frustrating the project by denying it the right of way.
But the Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar, who spoke through his Media aide, Innocent Ebirim, said that Lai Mohammed was guilty of deliberate falsehood.
The ministry said the project was still undergoing review by an Inter Ministerial Committee being coordinated by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).
The ministry said the project was yet to get to the table of Mr President, adding that the issue of refusal to grant the approval did not arise.
The Ministry said: “Lai Mohammed fabricated the fallacy of the alleged refusal of Mr. President to approve the Right of Way for Lagos Red Line Rail project because the matter is still being evaluated by an Inter Ministerial Committee being coordinated by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) with the involvement of Federal Ministry of Transport and Federal Ministry of Defence. It is only when this Committee completes its assignment, that it will forward its recommendation for Presidential approval.
“ Suffice to say that the matter is therefore yet to get to the President much less to grant an approval. It is therefore highly pertinent to ask Mr. Lai Mohammed whether an action that is still undergoing administrative processes can be considered ripe for a blanket judgment such as Lai Mohammed’s? Why then should Mr. Lai Mohammed find it convenient to rush to the Media and present what we consider to be naked falsehood and brazen lies that not only stands condemnable but having the potential to mislead and deprive Nigerians particularly those in the southwest of taking advantage of these services intended to make the lives of Nigerians easy and for whom Mr. President is tirelessly and selflessly committed to serve.”
The statement indicated that Mohammed had created an imaginary indication that President Jonathan had denied the rail project the right of way because he considers Lagos an enemy state, adding that the claim was far from reality.
According to the Ministry, the President has ensured that over 60 percent of the Nigerian Railway Corporation’s rolling stock is domiciled in Lagos, adding that Ports in Lagos also have Port rail-linked lines that have been successfully rehabilitated and are now operational.
“We can also proudly say that the Western Corridor Rail Line from Lagos that passes through some southwestern States to Kano was successfully rehabilitated and commenced hitch-free operations since December, 2012. The contract for the construction of the Lagos-Ibadan segment of the modernization of Lagos-Kano standard gauge rail line has also been equally awarded. It is interesting to note that on daily basis, mass transit trains make about 18 trips from Iddo (Lagos State) to Ijoko (Ogun State) and convey over 20,000 passengers daily in Lagos.
“In addition, the excursion trains which convey passengers to various locations particularly during festivities also operate in the South West. Feasibility studies for Lagos-Abuja Speed line with some stations in Ibadan and Oshogbo have been concluded and preliminary processes for its construction under PPP have started. With this deluge of train facilities in Lagos and South West provided by Mr. President, who then is the No. 1 enemy of the southwest zone? It’s Lai Mohammed.”
The Ministry stated that it was proud to announce the results of Rail Modernisation projects under the administration of Presient Goodluck Jonathan, which it said had led to increase in the number of passengers conveyed by rail from 4,155,988 in 2012 to 4,328,789 in 2013 and to over 5,000,000 passengers in 2014.
It further flaunted Jonathan’s achievements the Rail sector which it listed as including the construction and the rehabilitation of the Itakpe –Ajaokuta – Warri standard guage rail line and the Idu (Abuja) Kaduna standard guage rail line, which it said would soon be commissioned for public use.
“Let it be placed on record that the administration of President Jonathan is constructing new and modern rail corridors covering a distance of 8,139km which is more than twice the existing 3, 505km narrow gauge rail lines,” the Minister said.ax
Mohammed had, in a statement last week accused the Federal Government of frustrating the project by denying it the right of way.
But the Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar, who spoke through his Media aide, Innocent Ebirim, said that Lai Mohammed was guilty of deliberate falsehood.
The ministry said the project was still undergoing review by an Inter Ministerial Committee being coordinated by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).
The ministry said the project was yet to get to the table of Mr President, adding that the issue of refusal to grant the approval did not arise.
The Ministry said: “Lai Mohammed fabricated the fallacy of the alleged refusal of Mr. President to approve the Right of Way for Lagos Red Line Rail project because the matter is still being evaluated by an Inter Ministerial Committee being coordinated by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) with the involvement of Federal Ministry of Transport and Federal Ministry of Defence. It is only when this Committee completes its assignment, that it will forward its recommendation for Presidential approval.
“ Suffice to say that the matter is therefore yet to get to the President much less to grant an approval. It is therefore highly pertinent to ask Mr. Lai Mohammed whether an action that is still undergoing administrative processes can be considered ripe for a blanket judgment such as Lai Mohammed’s? Why then should Mr. Lai Mohammed find it convenient to rush to the Media and present what we consider to be naked falsehood and brazen lies that not only stands condemnable but having the potential to mislead and deprive Nigerians particularly those in the southwest of taking advantage of these services intended to make the lives of Nigerians easy and for whom Mr. President is tirelessly and selflessly committed to serve.”
The statement indicated that Mohammed had created an imaginary indication that President Jonathan had denied the rail project the right of way because he considers Lagos an enemy state, adding that the claim was far from reality.
According to the Ministry, the President has ensured that over 60 percent of the Nigerian Railway Corporation’s rolling stock is domiciled in Lagos, adding that Ports in Lagos also have Port rail-linked lines that have been successfully rehabilitated and are now operational.
“We can also proudly say that the Western Corridor Rail Line from Lagos that passes through some southwestern States to Kano was successfully rehabilitated and commenced hitch-free operations since December, 2012. The contract for the construction of the Lagos-Ibadan segment of the modernization of Lagos-Kano standard gauge rail line has also been equally awarded. It is interesting to note that on daily basis, mass transit trains make about 18 trips from Iddo (Lagos State) to Ijoko (Ogun State) and convey over 20,000 passengers daily in Lagos.
“In addition, the excursion trains which convey passengers to various locations particularly during festivities also operate in the South West. Feasibility studies for Lagos-Abuja Speed line with some stations in Ibadan and Oshogbo have been concluded and preliminary processes for its construction under PPP have started. With this deluge of train facilities in Lagos and South West provided by Mr. President, who then is the No. 1 enemy of the southwest zone? It’s Lai Mohammed.”
The Ministry stated that it was proud to announce the results of Rail Modernisation projects under the administration of Presient Goodluck Jonathan, which it said had led to increase in the number of passengers conveyed by rail from 4,155,988 in 2012 to 4,328,789 in 2013 and to over 5,000,000 passengers in 2014.
It further flaunted Jonathan’s achievements the Rail sector which it listed as including the construction and the rehabilitation of the Itakpe –Ajaokuta – Warri standard guage rail line and the Idu (Abuja) Kaduna standard guage rail line, which it said would soon be commissioned for public use.
“Let it be placed on record that the administration of President Jonathan is constructing new and modern rail corridors covering a distance of 8,139km which is more than twice the existing 3, 505km narrow gauge rail lines,” the Minister said.ax
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