The attention of the Management and staff of the Ministry of Transportation has been drawn to a malicious online media report from a Civil Society Organisation named Alliance for Public Asset Protection and Accountability (APAPA), alleging that the officials of the Railway Property Management Company Limited in collaboration with an unnamed Private Consultant has facilitated secret sales of functioning railway equipment and infrastructure to foreign buyers, particularly Chinese firms.
According to a press release signed and made available to the media on Monday by the Ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Janet McDickson Noah, “the Ministry wishes to clearly state that the statement on the sales of functioning railway equipment to foreign buyers is false, malicious, and ill-conceived with the intention of tarnishing the good image of the Hon. Minister of Transportation, Sen. Said Ahmed Alkali.
Furthermorr, The allegations are vacuous,baseless and spurious and cannot be a basis to call for the sack of the Honourable Minister.
Contrary to the misleading and defamatory report, the public is hereby informed “that the Hon. Minister is working assiduously to ensure that the railway corridors are safe and functional to ease transportation burden in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Bola Tinubu, GCFR as evidenced by the ongoing railway projects across the country.
‘Also, the accusation that the Hon. Minister bypassed the statutory Agencies, including Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) and the Infrastructure Regulatory Commission is categorically untrue.
“The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), as part of its mandate is carrying out needs assessment to identify serviceable and unserviceable items in order to secure and protect the items from further vandalization and stealing.
“Therefore, the Ministry/NRC cannot be said to have disposed Railway assets.
In the light of all the foregoing, the public is hereby advised to disregard the malicious publication.
In addition, the media is advised to verify
their information and get their facts right before going to press.