Senate has summoned the Minister of Transport, Rotimi Ameachi to give explanation over alleged move by the Federal Government to abandon planned railway projects in the eastern axis of the country.
The upper legislative chamber has therefore directed its Committees on Land Transport and Local and Foreign Debts to immediately summon Ameachi for explanation.
Senate arrived at the decision to question the minister following Point of Order from Deputy President of the Senate.
In that Order, Ike Ekweremadu called on the Senate to investigate why government appears to be foot dragging on the railway project designed to stretch from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri after securing approval for loan from China.
“Mr. President, I come under Order 42 and 52 which is a matter of urgent matter of importance on why less emphasis is being given to railway development in the eastern part of the country from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri”, he said.
Ekweremadu disclosed that Federal Government and the contractor, General Electric(GE) have an agreement to build railway lines for goods only but that
GE has allegedly withdrawn from the arrangement.
He therefore asked Senate to through its Committees on Lands Transport and Local & Foreign Debts to summon Ameachi to provide further explanation on an alleged plan to deliberately exclude the eastern axis of the country.
In his contribution, Senator Shehu Sani who doubles as Chairman, Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debts welcomes Senate decision to look into a matter.
He however added that it was “evidently clear that there was no firm commitment by government to execute the project which he said is capable of boosting the economy.
Also speaking, Senator James Manager wondered why such an important project should exclude the eastern corridors of the country believed to be a major economic nerve centre.
“what is before us is an issue that is very important. We’re talking about railway and we’re excluding the business community in Nigeria.
He said while the federal government is doing well with the railway projects, no section of the country should be excluded especially by a minister from the same part of the country.
Even though the Senate Leader, Ahmed Lawan supported the motion, he denied that General Electric (GE) had abandoned work on the project.
He said GE merely handed it over to one of its subsidiaries pointing out that GE is only contracted to maintain the narrow guage built years ago by colonial master and not to build any new railway in the eastern axis.
