I remember watching NTA in 2006 where they showed this simulation of the master-plan for the modern railways and other proposed transportation miracles. Check out wot they have to say. Especially the guy that said he has forgotten wot happened to the billions. He must be kidding! shouldnt things like that be enough grounds for arrest


NIGERIAN RAILWAY REHAB “ABANDONED”   
Friday, 04 July 2008
The Nigerian Senate 12-man ad-hoc committee set up recently to probe how billions were allocated to transport projects – rail, road and air - since 1999, with little if any sign of visible achievement or improvement, has had its hands full (according to the Daily Trust, published in the capital, Abuja).  A growing list of top government officials – both past and present – has been invited to explain their part in the sorry state of affairs, but those who have appeared before the committee to date do not seem to have made much in the way of a favourable impression. All former ministers of works, transport and aviation during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo are supposed to attend, at least one of whom - Dr Hakeem Baba Ahmed – has a warrant out for his arrest for reportedly ignoring the invitation, the Daily Trust reports.
Ahmed, formerly  Permanent Secretary in the Works Ministry, is currently Permanent Secretary of the Presidency. “Available records,” the paper writes, “show that government released over N100 billion [about R6bn] to the ministry during his tenure.

“Also yesterday [27 June], former Minister of Works Chief Cornelius Adebayo told the Senate panel that he had lost his memory on how over N50 billion released to the ministry during his time was spent, [he] could not answer any question put to insisting that he forgot everything.”

Surveyor-General Austin Njepueme reportedly told the committee that prior to the year 2006, no roads constructed in the country had survey plans.

Accountant-General Alhaji Ibrahim Hassan said his office had released a total of N967 billion (about R63bn) to successive ministers in charge of transport since 1999 – of which N124 billion went to the railways – but he was contradicted by Director-General of the Federal Budget Office Bright Okonkwo, who said the correct total was N688.9 billion. Commenting on the difference of almost N300bn between the two figures,, Minister of Finance Dr.Shamsudeen Usman told the panel he had wanted the two different versions of the official records of expenditure in the transport sector to be “harmonised” before being presented, “but it is unfortunate that that did not happen”.

Chairman of the Senate panel Senator Heineken Lokpobiri said there is need “to dig deep” to ascertain the actual amount spent on railway rehabilitation.

Current Minister of Transportation Mrs Diezani Alison-Maduekwe was unable to explain her authorisation of the withdrawal of N30.9 billion from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) within the last four days of 2007. In the words of the Daily Trust’s Abdul-Rahman Abubakar : “Obviously struck by the revelation, the minister developed a running stomach and had to excuse herself from the hearing. The Minister however made an important revelation when she said the $US8.3 billion Railway Modernisation Project was awarded to the CCECC of China without engineering design. Nigeria has so far paid $250 million for the project which has been abandoned. The minister said President Yar'adua is presently not sure of how to fund the project while CCECC is demanding oil blocs in return for its counterpart funding which government is not ready to provide.”

On 30 June, Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria Professor Chukwuma Soludo and the Minister of Transport were summoned “to make reconciliations” on the alleged disbursement of N30.9 billion in the last week of 2007.

And the website is like a '98 primary sch project

pals,we must pursue these old men, with old psyche 4rm the collidors of power. thats only way out.

nigerian youths in diaspora,must plan coming home to help replace these old politicians.i am ready to come back.

For the seemingly permanent evil cloud of curruption overhanging our nation space to blow away, we will need to fight on all fronts imaginable cos those who are beneffiting from it will not let go easily. So it depends on the more determined side.

Can just envision what an efficient rail transport system will do to the whole country and Lagos in particular. It will catapult the nation in great leaps and bounds to the next nexter nextest level. But good old corruption has so much to loose so will fight like a wounded mad lion high on drugs.

nthnymarce:

nigerian youths in diaspora,must plan coming home to help replace these old politicians.i am ready to come back.

Guy many of them youths out there are children of these people who without their corrupt ways would not have been able to send their children to "diaspora" to get qualitative education while ensuring that allocation for education is forwarded and cleared to foreign accounts. This ensures that their kids school fees are paid and they (the kids) have hefty allowances with which they yanga those who have to sweat their asses off to pay their fees.
So who's coming to take over? If na the corrupt folks kids then what would you expect from them, jail their parents for corruption? Dude, i lafff crying for my beloved country for there is serious work to be done.

nthnymarce:

nigerian youths in diaspora,must plan coming home to help replace these old politicians.i am ready to come back.

Sorry, why will we come back, what difference can we really make. Am thinking of going to canada after my stay here.

The Joker:

Guy many of them youths out there are children of these people who without their corrupt ways would not have been able to send their children to "diaspora" to get qualitative education while ensuring that allocation for education is forwarded and cleared to foreign accounts. This ensures that their kids school fees are paid and they (the kids) have hefty allowances with which they yanga those who have to sweat their asses off to pay their fees.
So who's coming to take over? If na the corrupt folks kids then what would you expect from them, jail their parents for corruption? Dude, i lafff crying for my beloved country for there is serious work to be done.

You are wrong. There are multitude of Nigerians abroad who could make a difference if given the chance, they are not children of politicians.

If you don't know how to go abroad for studies even when your parents are not rich, ask questions, people might guide you.

Please let us laud those who can even consider returning to Nigeria to make changes. It is only the brave

of heart that can do that. Encouragement and support is what we need to give each other and not

continous pessimism.

Young Nigerians, we can break the vicious cycle only if we try. There are one or two people out there that

are doing good for Nigeria in Nigeria, if one or two more join them, things will change. We can no longer sit

on the fence.

Na wa o.

im definitely going bak to help. its gotten too much.

Sammy107_d:

im definitely going bak to help. its gotten too much.

How do you intend to help. Tell me you might be able to convince me. hope you are not planning to be a politician.

Maybe I should go back and set up a killer squad and start killing the thieves who steal money and use the money to avoid justice.
certainly that is not a good proposal, though it might be more effective than MEND's method of destroying facilities to draw attention to the problems.

Ok. I'll just sit here and murmur on nairaland. How bout going home and living right, establishing and employing citizens, try voluntary education, investing in the economy, Agriculture, human rights advocate, music teaching, external financial auditor, even becoming a politician and determining to have integrity is a good idea (its the best idea. Its all Nigeria needs). The list is infinite. Imagine wot all 200000 nairalanders with such motive can do. I detest pessimism.

Saammie, good thinking there, positive energy. I absolutely agree with you.

When you think like that, it has a positive impact on your personal life and your outlook on life.

It is indeed possible to make a change.

One member of the senate (+/- support) proposed a bill to reduce/ eliminate travels by govt officials to get

healthcare in foreign countries. The bill was voted down overwhelmingly but you know what, such a guy

gives me and a million others hope.

He at least made a move to improve healthcare delivery in Nigeria. The issue will bw revisited,

Yes the bad ones are in the majority but with persistence, we can change the game plan

ayinba1:



One member of the senate (+/- support) proposed a bill to reduce/ eliminate travels by govt officials to get

healthcare in foreign countries. The bill was voted down overwhelmingly but you know what, such a guy

gives me and a million others hope.

Hmm Deep.

Business as Usual for 9ja. Na wa oh. There was so much fanfare about this rail project just as there was about electricity in the times of Obasanjo (even writing the name makes my skin crawl!) covered by CNN and the rest of them. Amazing how no one holds anyone to account for anything.

Unfortunately, they always put their people in after them be it their children or whoever their puppet is and we might be stuck in this rot for many more years to come. 99.9% of politicians are into it for the money they can get and even everyday people like you and I sef, will probably be very interested in lining our pokcets before looking after the people. It's just the way we've always known it. And if you don't agree, consider your ways, have you ever paid or even thought of giving a bribe to help you accomplish an objective quicker? Well, it's all the same. May GOD help us.

Video:  http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_QsDmtU2ms

yea dats d exact video i saw ages ago.