Amaechi Wants Nigerians To Stone Ex President Jonathan For Messing Up Railway Projects

Minister of transport, Rotimi Amaechi is still bitter over the disappearance of billions of naira left by the government of Olusegun Obasanjo that could have been used to complete railway projects in many parts of the country.
He regretted that even the railway project in Warri has been on the drawing board for 34 years, adding that the railway starts from Itakpe and till now, has not even gotten to Warri town; “it stops at Alaja. “So we should be carrying placards.
“Under Obasanjo, he saved between 65 billion and 68 billion dollars. Not even in foreign reserve but in Excess Crude Account. I heard that we require about 36 billion dollars to complete all these rail works in all the State capitals.
“Obasanjo left that money and President Goodluck Jonathan became President and that money was in that account, so, why couldn’t we have spent $36 billion building rails all over the country?
“You as journalists didn’t ask President Goodluck Jonathan that question; nobody asked. I was a governor then, there was no agitation for rail. There was no construction going on. “Instead of using that money, we borrowed $500 million to construct Kaduna/Abuja rail.”
Amaechi, who was the governor of Rivers State during Jonathan’s government, asked Nigerians to stop politicising the railway issue.
“The railway project should not be politicised,  it should be left as an economic driver. it drives even oil because if you import fuel, liquid cargo, we transport by rail. Like I said in the South South we should also be shouting.
“Let’s deal with the issues as they come, whether you are from North or from South or from East or West or anywhere, let’s deal with the issues as they come.”
He said that his ministry is currently negotiating with so many contractors on the best terms to raise loans to carry out the project.
“If we get the right loan terms that the country can take, we will go back to cabinet and ask for approval, that is what we are doing.
“In the Ministry of Transport, every day I meet with the Chinese because that appears to be the only place where they have funds.”
Amaechi then pleaded with Nigerians to be patient with the government and his ministry, adding: “let us find money because there is no money. Since there is no money, let us be patient.”[myad]