Permanent Secretary Ministry of Transport, Alhaji Mohammed Bashar , President Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and Director General, Transport Technology, Dr.Aminu Musa Yusuf, after the meeting at the State House, Abuja, Monday. Photo: AKIN OLADOKUN.
President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday ordered the Federal Ministry of Transport to keep to the agreements reached with firms constructing Nigeria’s seaports and modern standard gauge railway lines.
He gave the directive while receiving briefing on the activities of the Ministry by its top officials led by the Permanent Secretary, Mohammed Sambo Bashar.
Briefing State House correspondents after the meeting, the Permanent Secretary said the President was impressed with the pace of work on the major ongoing projects in the sector.
He said President Buhari is eager to ensure that the projects are completed during his tenure.
According to him, laying of tracks on the Abuja-Kaduna rail project has been completed while locomotives, which have already been paid for are still being awaited as operations will commence on the route by December this year.
He said the rail lines from Lagos -Kano, Kano -Port Harcourt and Port Harcourt -Gombe are already operational.
He said: “Basically, what we did is to present to the President the various programmes and projects and the reform efforts we have been undertaking in the last couple of years, the stages of the various projects, especially the railway rehabilitation programme and development in our seaports. And also some of the regulatory issues that we sought are due for review and attention.
“The President is quite impressed with what has been achieved so far and he has indicated his willingness to continue with a lot of projects and programmes already on ground. And he has expressed his support, especially when we start talking about the capacity building for individual operators in the country. He is really appreciative of the entrepreneur initiatives of Nigerians and indication that government will continue to give its full support.
On the specific directives the president gave his ministry, he said: “There are issues that he thinks we should pay a lot of attention, especially in the execution of agreements that we have entered into. He emphasized on the need to adhere strictly to the terms of agreements and we are going to abide by that.
“Basically, those agreements are relating to the projects we entered into regarding the construction of railway, standard gauge lines and rehabilitation programmes.”
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