- As ICPC arraigns Presidency’s ex-nominee for N182m fraud
The Federal Government is currently carrying out feasibility studies on the construction of 10 new standard gauge rail lines across the country.
According to the Nigerian Railway Corporation, the standard gauge rail lines will cover a travelling distance of over 3,421 kilometres when completed.
It further stated that the various rail lines would pass through Lagos, Oyo, Osun, Ogun, Benin, Abuja, Kogi, Onitsha and Sokoto, among other states.
The corporation disclosed this in its latest Rail Development Plan report that was obtained by our correspondent from the Federal Ministry of Transportation in Abuja on Sunday.
The NRC outlined the 10 new standard gauge rail routes where feasibility studies were being carried out as the 300km Lagos-Sagamu-Ijebu Ode-Ore-Benin City East-West rail line; Lagos-Ibadan-Osogbo-Baro-Abuja high speed 615km line; Ajaokuta (Eganyin)-Obajana-Jakura-Baro-Siraj-Abuja rail, with additional line from Ajaokuta to Otukpo (533km); and the 520km Zaria-Kaura Namoda-Sokoto-Ileila-Birnin Koni in Niger Republic.
Others are the Benin-Agbor-Onitsha-Nnewi-Owerri-Aba rail, with additional line from Onitsha-Enugu-Abakaliki, 500km; Eganyin (near Ajaokuta)-Lokoja-Abaji-Abuja, 280km; Benin-Sapele-Warri-Yenagoa-Port Harcourt-Aba-Uyo-Calabar-Akampa-Ikom-Obudu Cattle Ranch coastal rail line, 673km; Port Harcourt-Aba-Umuahia-Enugu-Makurdi-Lafia-Kuru-Bauchi-Gombe-Biu-Maiduguri line; Ikom-Obudu-Ogoja-Katsina Ala-Wukari-Jalingo-Yola-Maiduguri line; and the Kano-Nguru-Gusau-Damaturu-Maiduguri-Gamborugala rail line.
In its report, the NRC stated that the construction and rehabilitation of the Itakpe-Ajaokuta-Warri standard gauge line project was nearing completion.
It recalled the construction of the Abuja (Idu)-Kaduna standard gauge rail had earlier been completed and train operations commenced.
The corporation noted that the groundbreaking for the construction of Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge (double track) 2 x 180km rail line project, awarded to the CCECC, was done earlier this year, adding that work had commenced on the site following the conclusion of its funding arrangement.
It, however, stated that paucity of funds was a key challenge to the projects, adding that the government required more funds to complete the rehabilitation of the Western and Eastern lines, carry out addendum for sidings and loop lines on the Western line, procure and rehabilitate locomotives and rolling stock, as well as for the procurement of maintenance equipment.
It said more funds were needed for complete modernisation projects, as well as for the rehabilitation and construction of links to the sea, rivers and airports.
In the meantime, the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission has arraigned one of the men recently nominated by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo to the board of the ICPC.
Osinbajo had, in his capacity as Acting President in August, appointed Dr. Saadu Alanamu as a member of the ICPC board, where he was expected to play an active role in the anti-corruption campaign.
Alanamu, who was later dropped by Osinbajo following unfavourable reports, was arraigned by the ICPC for alleged N182m fraud last week.
The commission said in a statement by its spokesperson, Mrs. Rasheedat Okoduwa, that Alanamu, a former Chairman of the Governing Council of the Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, allegedly collected a bribe from a contractor.
He was subsequently charged with eight counts before Justice Mahmud Abdulgafar of the Kwara State High Court 7, Ilorin, along with the Chief Executive Director of Namylas Nigeria Limited, Salman Sulaiman.
The commission, in the charge sheet, accused Alanamu, who was also the Chairman of the Kwara State Polytechnic Tenders Board, of collecting N5m bribe from a contractor, Salman Sulaiman, as a kickback for the award of a contract.
Counsel for the ICPC, Sunny Ezeana, told the court that Alanamu received the bribe through his First Bank account on February 11, 2015 from Namylas Nigeria Limited, a company owned by Sulaiman, who is also his friend.
The court heard that Alanamu ensured that the contract for the construction and furnishing of an auditorium in Kwara State Polytechnic, at the cost of N182,369, 625.00, was awarded to Namylas Nigeria Limited even when it was found that the company was not qualified to execute the contract.
The ICPC said its investigation into the petition had revealed strong evidence of collusion, bid rigging and corrupt practices against Namylas Nigeria Limited in the bid process; and that the company used falsified, forged and doctored PENCOM Compliance Certificate, Tax Clearance Certificate and ITF Certificate of Compliance to submit its bid during the bidding process.
Sulaiman, on his part, was accused of bribing a government official when he paid N5m to Alanamu as a reward for the award of contract to his company, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 9(1) (a) and punishable under Section 9(1) (b) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
Their offences are also in violation of Sections 8 (1) (a), 10(a) (i), 18 (b), 19 and 22(1) (a) (i) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and punishable under the aforementioned sections.
The accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to them.
The trial judge granted them bail in the sum of N2m with two sureties in like sum each while one of the sureties each must have a landed property in Ilorin.
The matter was then adjourned till October 12, 2017 for pre-trial hearing in line with Section 3 of the Kwara State High Court Practice Direction, 2013, after which a new date for trial would be set.
Punch
