WISHING NIGERIA GOODLUCK FOREVER Perhaps from insight shaped by being both participant and witness to the triumph of the human spirit over unimaginable odds, former French president, Giscard D’Estaing once proclaimed that history is tragic. He went further and counseled statesmen and world leaders that, “There can be no response to history without effort.” Born during the First World War, he fought in the second global conflagration – two bloody human crises that defined his tumultuous era. Ahead of Nigeria’s crucial general election, D’Estaing’s pungent insight simultaneously captures something of Nigeria’s dilemma and encapsulates the compelling exertions of President Goodluck Jonathan to midwife a new nation. In the face of extreme governance challenges, it cannot be denied that the Jonathan Presidency has recorded important landmark achievements targeted at moving Nigeria forward, in sync with its natural destiny as the continental leader. But, curiously, either out of deliberate mischief or a specific game-plan feeding a predetermined agenda, some political tendencies are sponsoring propaganda targeted at rubbishing these positives. A very current example will serve to illustrate this – the milestone improvements by the current administration in Nigeria’s rail system neglected for over three decades. The reactions of some critics, mainly in the opposition, to the ongoing historic revival of the country’s rail system summarize the extent of bad faith against the administration. Initially, they totally denied the new reality – the images of happy Nigerians riding in the trains. They alleged the pictures were photo-shopped. When their position proved unsustainable, they said the trains were too old. When the facts which, of course, were never secret emerged that a lot of the trains are quite modern and comfortable, the opposition said Vice President Sambo did not share the same coach as the “masses” when he commissioned the Aba-Port Harcourt line! Still on the rail transportation sector, the Jonathan administration inaugurated the Lagos-Kano train service, which had been moribund for more than a decade. This is a major feat considering the long years of decay in the rail transportation sector. The Eastern rail line from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri is being rehabilitated as well as the Zaria/Kaura Namoda rail route. Also the Abuja/Kaduna 187 kilometre rail line has been completed. History will be made by the time the Ajaokuta-Warri Standard Gauge Rail line will be completed. This is because it will provide a less than four-hour journey between the Middle-Belt and the South-South and for the first time in the history of Nigerian, a president was able to commission a new rail line. Also, the Lagos-Ibadan new gauge rail line, which was also initiated last year is on course. The federal government has completed three feasibility studies and commissioned three others to open new railway corridors, which will be business to local and foreign investors. An unprecedented investment of $200 billion will flow into the Nigerian economy through these concessions in 2013 and last year with over 10 million new jobs of skilled and unskilled laborers (engineers, technicians, machinists, accountants) created in the next two years. The Abuja light rail which has been the passion for Mr. President will commence operation before the end of 2015. President Jonathan has assured Nigerians that Abuja light rail must work during his tenure. Following the launch of the new rail coaches in Lagos by Vice President Namadi Sambo, Nigeria ranks among the best after South Africa in rail construction. In beaming more light on transportation it is worth recalling that the Jonathan presidency expressed a clear commitment to end the usual nightmares Nigerians experience on major highways. To achieve this purpose President Jonathan embarked on aggressive rehabilitation and reconstruction of the major roads in the country. The results are there for anyone to see. Many highways wear a new look as they no longer constitute danger to motorists. For instance, a total of 651km of roads were reconstructed in 2012. In 2012, a total of 32 highway projects were completed and it is currently in use. In the history of Nigeria, this is the first time the country high-ways have received such boost both in expansion and quality work delivered on the roads across the country. Motorist plying these roads can testify to these claims. In other to safeguard the road infrastructure, the administration has constructed new bridges in the areas floods and erosion affected. The Ministry of Works on the order of President Jonathan unveiled ‘Operation Safe Passage’, a programme aimed at recovering deplorable sections of major roads in the country to ameliorate the sufferings usually experienced by road users during festive seasons. Under this programme, key roads in the six geo-political zones of the country, were rehabilitated. Of the 80 projects prioritized in 2012, two have been totally completed, three are over 90 percent completed, five are over 80 percent completed, eighteen are between 50-79 percent complete while the rest are in different stages of completion. The radical intervention by the Subsidy Reinvestment Programme SURE-P in the road sector in 2012 resulted in accelerated work on the rehabilitation of the following projects: Abuja-Abaji-Lokoja; Benin-Ore-Sagamu dual carriageway; Onitsha-Enugu-Port Harcourt dual carriageway; Kaduna-Maiduguri dual carriageway; East-West Road, the Second Niger Bridge for which a sum of five billion naira has been set aside. These are new projects that many Nigerians thought would not be possible. But in Jonathan’s administration Nigeria highways could be dualized to four lanes. These roads cover a distance of 1,664 kilometres and are at various stages of completion. While many have been commissioned, many more of these projects are due for completion and commissioning, courtesy President Goodluck Jonathan. It will also be on record that President Jonathan defied all odds to award the contract for the construction of Second Niger Bridge. Other former presidents never gave it a second thought that the old first bridge might collapse one day and a second bridge needs to be in place. This is a clear indication that marginalization against the Southeast is gradually coming to an end. There is more. The Jonathan administration has entered into collaboration with multi-lateral agencies under the Road Sector Development Team (RSDT) scheme. Under this framework, the RSDT is currently implementing road rehabilitation, upgrading and maintenance, institutional strengthening and policy reform, and road safety improvements with the credit from the World Bank; and additional funding from the Africa Development Bank (AfDB). The RSDT in collaboration with multi-lateral agencies rehabilitated/ maintained a total of 257 kilometres of road length in 2012. Two projects under the scheme, the Mokwa-Bida Road and the Akure-Ilesha Road will have their contracts awarded in June. Also, the Ministry of Works is currently working out modalities for the execution of the dualisation of the Keffi-Lafia-Makurdi-Enugu (9th Mile) roads in Nasarawa, Benue and Enugu States with funds from the Export-Import Bank of China. In all these exertions, the queen of the sector, aviation, is not left out. In addition to overhauling the strategic Nigeria Aviation industry, the Jonathan administration approved the sum of N106 billion for the construction of five new airport terminals in Lagos, Kano, Port Harcourt, Abuja and Enugu as well as six cargo terminals to be managed under a Public Private Partnership (PPP) Scheme. It is acknowledged worldwide that the aviation industry received the most laudable attention under President Jonathan’s administration. In 2011, the administration earmarked 22 airports for rehabilitation and reconstruction, today, all the federal airports have been commissioned for public use. They are currently rated among the best in the world especially having awarded category 1 Safety in December, 2010 by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of US while the award of higher category are expected following the visit of FAA in March this year.
Posted on: Tue, 20 Jan 2015 11:34:42 +0000
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