The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Minister of Transportation

  • Workers reject FG’s planned concession of railways

    Workers reject FG’s planned concession of railways

    The Nigeria Union of Railway Workers (NURW) has appealed to the Federal Government to withhold its planned concession of the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC).

    Mr Segun Esan, the Secretary General of the union, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lagos that there was no reason to defend privatisation and concessioning as policy of economic development.

    Esan said that concession has simply reinforced underdevelopment, encourage massive unemployment, with massive corruption and social inequality.

    According to him, systems threaten the security and corporate existence of the country since inception of its implementation in the country.

    “The policy has been consistently observed that assets of privatised enterprises have been deliberately undervalued.

    “There has been no due process with high level collusion between the authorities and the companies that bought the privatised enterprises, leading to failure to pay over the appropriate monies to government coffers.

    “The Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPE) has also failed to exercise its oversight functions on the privatisation process,’’ the unions regretted.

    He described the policy as an abuse of due process characterised by corruption which has affected the outcome of the exercise.

    According to him, the privatisation of the power sector offers another insight into the failure of the system and the fraudulent actions surrounding it.

    Esan said that government has also injected huge capital into the sector without corresponding results.

    He appealed to the federal government to withdraw its planned concessioning of the corporation to help safeguard selling public asset without appropriate technical valuation with labour disengagement.

    NAN recalls that the Federal House of Representatives had at its plenary on Oct. 25, moved to investigate the planned concessioning of the Nigeria Railways Corporation to General Electric (GE) to avoid violating Nigeria’s privatisation laws.

    The lawmakers also looked into the moves by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) to concession the Western (Lagos-Kano) and Eastern (Port Harcourt- Maiduguri) rail lines to GE without recourse to the Bureau of Public Enterprises and Privatisation regulations.

    NAN further reports that federal government had constituted a 20-member steering committee on the concessioning of the Eastern and Western lines of the Nigeria Railways.

    The Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, inaugurated the committee, headed by the Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, in August.

  • FG to inaugurate Abuja-Kaduna rail project July 26

    FG to inaugurate Abuja-Kaduna rail project July 26

    The Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, said on Monday that the Abuja-Kaduna rail project would be inaugurated on July 26 in Idu, Abuja.

    Amaechi made this known this in an interview with newsmen in Abuja.

    He said free test-run service started in June while awaiting the approval of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    The minister, however, said that after the official launch on July 26, commercial services would start immediately.

    “The president has approved the 26th of this month for the official launching of the project and we have agreed that before the inauguration, we will visit the place.

    “So, the final inspection will be on Thursday, July 21, 2016,” he said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that four coaches with a passenger capacity of 380 are currently on ground to convey travelers from Idu to Kaduna.

  • Nigeria seeks collaboration with IMO

    Nigeria seeks collaboration with IMO

    The Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, has expressed Nigeria’s commitment to greater collaboration with the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) to develop the maritime industry.

    This is contained in a statement by the Head, Corporate Communication Team of NIMASA, Hajia Lami Tumaka, on Monday in Lagos, a copy of which was obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

    The minister expressed the commitment when he paid a courtesy visit to the Secretary-General of the IMO, Mr Kitack Lim, recently in London.

    Amaechi commended IMO for the technical assistance rendered to Nigeria.

    He called for more cooperation in the areas of combating piracy and maritime education.

    The minister told the IMO secretary- general that ”Nigeria has already put in place action plans and initiatives through the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA)’’.

    Amaechi said the action plans were for the implementation of the Code of Conduct entered into by the Heads of States and Governments of ECOWAS, Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) and the Gulf of Guinea Commission on the fight against piracy, sea robbery and other maritime crimes.

    To make Nigerian ports safer for international trade, the minister said that the Security Assessment Checklist of the International Ship and Ports Facility Security (ISPS) Code were continually receiving adequate attention by both NIMASA and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).

    He also assured the IMO scribe that the findings and observations of the recently-concluded IMO Member States Audit Scheme (IMSAS) of Nigeria “is being studied’’.

    “This is with a view to preparing and implementing Corrective Action Plans (CAPs) within the stipulated time frame,” NAN quotes the minster as saying.

    The minister also called for greater technical cooperation with the IMO with a view to reviewing programmes and curriculum of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron, Akwa Ibom,

    According to him, this is in compliance with the 2010 Amendments to STCW and support to secure sea time training for graduates of the maritime academy.

    Amaechi also requested for a technical advice in converting the academy to a degree-awarding institution and greater involvement of the IMO in building capacities of the Academy’s instructors.

    Responding, the IMO secretary-general, commended Nigeria for its commitment toward meeting the obligations of the IMO and other international organisations.

    The secretary-general assured the minister of the cooperation of the IMO in the areas of continuous training on Maritime Security, Search and Rescue (SAR), Port State Control (PSC) and capacity building for Instructors of MAN, Oron.

    He said that sea time training had become a global concern, adding that the IMO would reach out to shipping companies toward engaging the academy’s cadets on board vessels.

    The minister was accompanied to the IMO by the Director-General of NIMASA, Dr Dakuku Peterside, and Nigeria’s Alternate Permanent Representative to the IMO, Mr Diko Bala.

  • I had no quarrel with Amaechi – Sirika

    I had no quarrel with Amaechi – Sirika

    The Minister of State for Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika has dismissed the rumour that he quarreled with his colleague, the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi.

    Sirika attributed the rumour to mischief makers and unidentified social media users.

    Reports on social media indicated that the ministers almost engaged in physical combat with his colleague which led to the removal of the Sirika’s portrait on walls at the airport and buildings of agencies under aviation sector.

    The minister however dismissed the report in Abuja on Thursday during a meeting with Journalists.

    According to him: “The social media said that I and the Minister are fighting but that is not true. The fact that there are no pictures of me at airports, offices and agencies under aviation is based on my personal choice.

    “I believe that my photo will not give Nigerians anything, rather, it is my actions that will. I don’t need my pictures on walls, they were there before but I ordered that they be removed. Photo will not give us good airports and runways, rather good governance and that is my challenge and target.

    “Having pictures everywhere as far as I am concerned is very trivial, unnecessary and it is not my style”, he said.

    On when his pictures should be hung on walls, the minister said: “my pictures should be put on walls when I have worked. Having my pictures on walls is not the major reason why I was appointed to serve, my dream is to change the industry for better and when that is done, then my pictures can be put everywhere”.

    Earlier, the minister also called for the merger of the ministry of Transportation, Aviation and Works.

    The minister said this while responding to issues raised by the National President of Air Transport Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSAN), Mr. Benjamin Okeowo during a courtesy call.

    According to the minister: “for me, I think the merger ought to even go a step further than what it is today. The merger is between aviation and transportation but for me, I think the ministry of transportation should still carry Federal Ministry of Works and certain critical aspects.

    “Why works, because if you remove environment, lands and housing from works, what will remain is highways and highways like waterways and airways are all ways and they are under transportation.

    Sirika however craved the indulgence and understanding of the Union and other stakeholders adding that the Buhari’s administration will come up with something very positive that will be in the interest of the aviation sector.

    The Union lamented that the merger of aviation and transportation ministry has led to less efficiency in the aviation sector.

    Okeowo said: “government have come out with their policy on merger of aviation and transport but we must say that as stakeholders, the merger is not favouring us because there is so many delay we are seeing as a result of this merger, things are not taking proper shape and things are not done with speed as it is expected of the aviation industry.

    “Honestly, we thought policies are to ensure efficiency but we are not getting that efficiency. It is like the policy is expanding the bureaucracy and that for us is not good for the aviation industry”.

    He also noted that the Union is after a situation where things will be done with precision like it is done in other aviation industries around the world.

     

  • Nigeria committed to maritime safety standards – Amaechi

    Nigeria committed to maritime safety standards – Amaechi

    The Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, has said that the nation is committed to safety standards in the maritime sector.

    This is contained in a statement made available to newsmen on Wednesday in Lagos by the Head, Public Relations Department of NIMASA, Hajia Lami Tumaka.

    According to the statement, the minister stated this in his address at the ongoing Regional Training on Port State Control (PSC) in Lagos for West and Central African countries.

    Amaechi said that merchant ships often traded outside the areas that were under the jurisdiction of the Flag State.

    The minister said the maritime agencies could not, therefore, guarantee that all ships under their flag were in full compliance with safety requirements.

    Amaechi noted that the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) mandated maritime administrations to periodically carry out Port State Control in compliance with the instruments to which the Flag State was a party.

    He said that the high level of maritime activities in the nation’s waters imposed enormous challenges on coastal countries in the West and Central Africa in terms of building a robust and effective maritime safety regime.

    According to him, the need to therefore continually update the knowledge of vessel inspectors and surveyors cannot be overstated, especially against the backdrop of rapid changes at both the industry and operating environment levels.

    Amaechi said the Federal Government was committed toward repositioning the maritime sector for effectiveness and efficiency.

    He assured member states of Nigeria’s co-operation for a better Port State Control implementation.

    In his address, the Acting Director-General of NIMASA, Mr Haruna Jauro, said the agency would ensure effective implementation of Port State Control.
    Jauro said that NIMASA was also committed to human capacity development, adding that the ongoing training was geared toward the development of the sector and the nation at large.

    “The Agency (NIMASA) will continue to build the required capacity to meet domestic and international obligations aimed at making our waterways safe for shipping activities,’’ the acting director-general said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the NIMASA Act empowers it to carry out Port State Inspection of foreign vessels that call at the nation’s ports.

    The eight-day training being hosted by NIMASA has in attendance representatives from the 19 member states of the Abuja MoU on Port State Control with resource persons drawn from the IMO.

  • Lagos-Kano rail to generate 250,000 jobs – Amaechi

    Lagos-Kano rail to generate 250,000 jobs – Amaechi

    The Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, said on Friday that the Lagos-Kano Rail project would be completed in the next two years.

    Amaechi, who said this while inspecting the Abuja-Kaduna rail project in Kaduna, added that it would generate employment for 250,000 Nigerians.

    He said the ongoing rail project from Lagos-Kano and Lagos-Calabar would generate more employment than the Abuja-Kaduna rail modernisation project.

    He further stated that a training institute would be established by the Chinese company to train Nigerians on operations, maintenance and communication.

    “For the Lagos-Kano and Lagos-Calabar rail project, we expect to generate like 250,000 employment opportunities both formal and informal.

    “We are negotiating with General Electric in America to construct a narrow gauge from Lagos to Kano and they cannot run that without training Nigerians.

    “If the communication system goes down how do we revive it, so they would also teach Nigerians how to maintain it.

    “ If we want to replace it, how do we replace it, so the key thing is transfer of technology and that will be the focus of the ministry.’’

    He said government would ensure that the rail service was affordable for the masses.