Supporters of erstwhile president Goodluck Jonathan have literally been up in arms in the wake of the commissioning of the Kaduna-Abuja rail project this week by the Muhammadu Buhari administration.
Some of the irate supporters felt Jonathan should have been invited to physically attend the commissioning since he “virtually completed the project before his time in office was up”, while others said his contribution to the project wasn’t acknowledged at the commissioning.
This news site has since established that president Buhari did acknowledge Jonathan’s contribution to the project on the day of the flag-off, in his prepared remarks.
It also turns out, minister of transportation, Rotimi Amaechi also acknowledged the former number one occupant of the Villa in his address on flag-off day. The Kaduna-Abuja rail is a component of the Lagos-Kano rail project.
“Today, as we gather here, we recall that the contract for Lagos-Kano railways was awarded by President Olusegun Obasanjo, partially executed by President Goodluck Jonathan and completed by President Muhammadu Buhari,” Amaechi said.
“The tracks were commissioned by President Jonathan. Under the directives of President Buhari, the stations, signalling, the communications and part of the tracks was completed by this administration,” Mr. Amaechi said.
“The locomotive and coaches arrived in May, and between June and July, we had commenced the trial runs. We conveyed over 500 passengers per trip, twice a day for a month and two weeks free of charge.”
Amaechi also thanked the Chinese and the minister of finance, Kemi Adeosun.
“Let me express my gratitude to the Ministry of Transportation and the Chinese government and the China Nexim Bank for their financial support. The same gratitude goes to my colleague, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, for discharging her responsibility as directed by Mr. President.
“Most importantly, it is the priority attached to transportation by the President, of which we are very grateful. We are also grateful to the contractor CCECC for keeping faith and doing a good job.
“Mr. President, as we invite you to officially flag-off commercial activities on the Idu-Kaduna segment of the Lagos-Kano railways, we remind Nigerians that the change agenda here impacts on housing as the poor are able to live in their houses in Kaduna and come to work in Abuja.
“At the same time, it impacts on agriculture and economy as agricultural produce are conveyed from Kaduna to Abuja at much cheaper rates. Transportation is also provided to Nigerians who live between Kano and Abuja at a cheaper rate. I hope that when the Kaduna-Abuja Road is maintained, it will last longer as heavy cargo is now conveyed by rail.”
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