diluminati:
GEJ is a joke if you don't know. This is what a country with so much oil money can come up with. Why do some set of nigerians love [size=18pt]MEDIOCRITY[/size]. compare that scrab to this in South Africa, nonsense

infact I love you. just tell them , they are just trying to deceive us . say no to GEJ.

GEJ should show us one thing he started and completed in his 6years of clueless reign.

OBJ awarded the said contract for to revice rail system. You need fact, Google is your friend.

How daft can SaTANoids and Jonathanians be?

I have never seen this new rail vehicles before... All the ones that passes through here are the same old rugged ones we used to know..

slimfit1:
He try no be small but I think we have people that can do better.

....namely;

diluminati:


Don't you have an elder in your house?

lolsss elders? DAT quest shld be 4 u..... elders re in gr8 opposition to his intention cos wen he was der he did nothing it was idiagbon dat did all he was just a figure head most of his supporters re blindfolded myopic youth I kip on asking dem dt was did buhari do during his tenure but they couldn't say a thing ...

I'm sure d OP hs nt used d train b4 bcz dis pictures are different frm d REAL THING. Nigeria rail is not d one described in d pics. It's worste! I'm a witness! And i could remember when a Nlander shared his ordeal. OP, dats nt true!

Broadcast by
His Excellency, President Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR
On Nigerian Railway Modernization and Expansion Programme
Abuja, August 9, 2006


Fellow compatriots

It is with gratitude to God and great joy that I address you today as we mark another milestone in our on-going efforts to rejuvenate and reposition our country for greatness and sustained development. We have resolutely embraced reforms in order to move away from a past that was characterized by fiscal recklessness, plan indiscipline, misplaced priorities, and general insensitivity to the plight of the Nigerian people.

I am pleased to note that our reforms, your sacrifices and commitment to purposeful change are now yielding results. On all sectors of the economy, we are witnessing rapid changes and these are being acknowledged by the international community especially by our development partners. While we give thanks to God and I specially commend all Nigerians, we cannot and must not rest on our oars until we get to our set goals and destinations.

One area in which we have invested a lot of time, energy and resources is infrastructural rehabilitation and development. It is difficult to believe that in the decade before 1999, not a single investment was made in the power sector. The railway was not an exception to this neglect and policy indifference. Hence, I am pleased and proud to inform you all today, that the government has come up with a very bold and comprehensive agenda for the re-development, modernization and expansion of our national railway transportation system to meet our socio-economic, political, cultural development and integration objectives.

Broadly speaking, transportation offers tremendous potentials and opportunities for activating, stimulating and integrating national economies and ensuring national interaction and unity. The role of the railway mode of transport in particular has been quite significant in this respect and is quite evident in international economic and social relations and even within nations such as Nigeria.

No nation has achieved holistic development in all its ramifications without a coherent, integrated, efficient and reliable transportation system. It is therefore important that we place our railway development in proper historical perspective in order to fully appreciate the importance of our new path and approach in our inter-modal and comprehensive transportation system planning and development.

This inter-modal system includes road, inland waterways, and air transportation. Our investments in these areas are coordinated to make a lasting impact through a holistic transportation system across the country. Though I have not included bicycles in the inter-modal list of transport systems, it must not be forgotten, if only for its physical exercise and therefore, health implications.

The development of railways in Nigeria, like in most African countries was the initiative of the Colonial Administration with the objectives of exercising full political control, penetrating the hinterland, and evacuating goods to the coast for export to develop and feed their industry.

Actual railway construction in Nigeria commenced in 1898 with a 32 km line of 1067mm gauge from Iddo (Lagos State) to Otta (Ogun State), which was further extended to Ibadan covering a total of 193 km in 1901. Railway construction continued incrementally in such manners between 1901–1910, Ibadan–Jebba (295 km); 1907–1911, Kano–Baro (562 km); 1909–1915, Jebba–Minna (252 km); 1914–1916, Port-Harcourt–Enugu (243 km); and 1922–1927, Kafanchan–Jos (179 km).

Unfortunately, in spite of the obvious benefits of railway transportation, further development was more or less stultified between 1927 and 1958- a period of thirty-one years. It was not until 1958 with the construction of Kafanchan to Bauchi line (238 km) that work resumed on the rail system. This was followed between 1961–1964 with the Bauchi-Maiduguri line (302km).

This brought the total rail route of the Nigerian Railway Network to 3505 km (and if sidings are included, to 4,332 km).

In addition to the network mentioned is the 277 km on-going standard gauge railway specifically built and being dedicated to the steel complexes of Ajaokuta, Delta (Warri) and Itakpe (Iron-Ore mine). This line that stretches from Itakpe through Ajaokuta to Warri is at 90% completion level and would be put into full operational use this year as a Concession line to the operators of the concessioned Ajaokuta Steel Plants.

The emergence of the Nigerian Government Railways in 1912 was paradoxical and challenging especially with the amalgamation of the Northern and Southern Protectorates in 1914. Railway development in Nigeria during this period brought in its wake great socio-cultural impact as seen in the movement of traders from different regions and ethnic background to commercial towns created by railway activities. Besides normal commercial activities in these new commercial towns, inter-ethnic marriages, new dressing habits, food and languages and new tourist attractions, have emerged including mega towns referred to in Nigeria as Railway Towns. These include Lagos, Umuahia, Zaria, Kano, Kafanchan, Jos, Enugu, Aba and Port Harcourt.

The establishment of the Nigerian Railway Corporation in 1955 with sole responsibility for the provision of rail transport in Nigeria provided an exciting opportunity for the movement of goods and persons across the country. The corporation performed reasonably well between 1955 and 1979. In the period 1972 – 1979, in spite of efforts by Government to rehabilitate and reposition the sector, a steady process of decline in its business operations had set in.
This process was later accelerated by the systemic decay of the Corporation’s entire infrastructure, manpower and institutions.

Statistics on passenger and freight traffic show that while the Corporation in 1964 carried 11,288,000 passengers and 2,960,000 tonnes of freight, these figures dropped to 4,342,000 passengers and 1,098,000 tonnes of freight in 1974. Thereafter passenger traffic gradually grew back to 6.7 million in 1978 and reached a peak of 15.5 million in 1984 with the help of RITES of India brought in by our military administration. This declined again to 3.0 million in 1991 and 1.6 million in 2003. The same dismal performance is also reflected in the freight traffic fluctuation from 3 million tones in the 1960’s and 1970’s to less than 100,000 tonnes in recent times.

The same deplorable performance is reflected in the 6% daily locomotive availability rate and in the fact that only 25% of the over 700 Coaches and 4,000 wagons were available for use in recent times. It was certainly a combination of corruption, poor management, inefficiency, lack of adequate marketing, failure to develop new lines and to plan ahead or introduce new technology and adapt to global best practices that saw the near total collapse of the railway in Nigeria.

Government made several efforts in the last 20 years to address the deterioration. Such efforts included:

(a) Techno-Managerial Services by Rites of India (1979 – 1982);

(b) Romanian Project for the supply of Rolling Stock and
Workshop equipment (1986 – 1996) but inconclusive; and

(c) CCECC Track Rehabilitation and some Rolling Stock (1995 – 2003).

In addition to these efforts, studies were concluded on how to get the railway started including the 25-Year Vision Plan which provided the global framework and benchmark for possible Rail expansion and modernization for over 8,000 kms linking all State Capitals and major population centres and industrial areas in the country to be developed over a period of twenty-five years. The report was prepared in 2002.

As part of the effort to bring in private capital, skills and technology, the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) is already considering the possibility of concessioning the existing East, West and Central lines (i.e. Port-Harcourt to Maiduguri with link line from Kafanchan to Kaduna; Lagos to Kano; and Itakpe to Ajaokuta to Warri Rail Lines respectively). Even this requires minimal rehabilitation to get value for money from concessionaires.

Today, we have a new vision, a new commitment, and a holistic strategic plan encompassing expansion and modernization of the Railway to be implemented within a 25-year time frame. Various scenarios and options of commencing and progressing with the implementation of the Plan have been presented for consideration at various fora. Following the presentation of Draft Final Proposal to the Federal Executive Council on 19th July, 2006 the Federal Government endorsed an implementation Plan entailing:

(a) 3 Nos. Longitudinal Lines, Lagos – Up North, Warri – Up North and Port Harcourt – Up North

(b) 4 Nos. Latitudinal Lines; and

(c) Branch and Extension Lines.

This covers all the State Capitals and major commercial centers in the country. Within this framework, it is further agreed that the 1st Phase of the Railway Line should entail the Lagos–Kano Standard gauge, double track railway line spanning over 1315 kilometers with a loop from Minna to Abuja and only Abuja to Kaduna being single track due to inadequate anticipated traffic. It was further agreed that the scope of work, segmentation and construction will follow 5 segments:

1. Lagos – Ibadan

2. Ibadan – Ilorin

3. Ilorin – Minna

4. Minna – Kano; and

5. Minna – Abuja – Kaduna.

This new approach will significantly impact on our people and their communities. It will ease movement, reduce reliance on vehicles and the airport, promote tourism, and build on the foundations of integration, unity, cooperation, and social harmony that we have been working so hard to consolidate.

The design criteria or technical features are:

1. A speed of 120 to 150 km/hour for passenger service

2. A speed of 80km/hour for freight service

3. Rail gauge of 1435 mm Standard Gauge

4. Maximum gradient of 12%, and in exceptional situations 15%;

5. Minimum curve radius: ordinary terrain 2000m, difficult terrain 1200m;

6. Traction type: diesel-electric engine (3 phase engine).

7. Axle weight: 23 tons

8. Type of rail: 60kg/m

9. Block type: computer interlocking, inter-station automatic block, subject to being upgradeable.

10. Continuous welded rail shall be applied on all the tracks.

The construction of the rail line will employ tens of thousands of Nigerians immediately. The entire project will promote technology transfer, the building of new skills, and the development of rail allied industries. As much as possible, local materials will be used.
Furthermore, the towns and communities around the railways will experience an improved socio-economic activity that reduces their unemployment rates.

[b]Fellow Nigerians, this is a critical stage of our national economic growth and development. Our much desired national economic growth, development and cohesion can only be achieved with a modern and virile transportation system of which railway is a very critical part. Therefore, all Nigerians should co-operate with the Government, its consultants and contractors to ensure that the project is completed at the scheduled time for the benefit of all.

Phase I is scheduled to be completed in four years at a cost of $8.3 billion of which $2 billion is being obtained as soft loan from the Chinese Government. Phase II, which will be the second spine of the backbone- Port Harcourt to Jos, with the same design criteria, will follow on the heels of Phase I.

In this regard, those who have encroached on railway land should quietly leave such piece of land to save the Government and themselves the effort of using all means to reclaim such right of way. There will also be need to acquire new land for the modernization and expansion to new locations. I appeal to State Governments and land occupiers to co-operate in making land available for this all-important project.

By the grace of God Almighty, contract formalities for the award and commencement of Lagos–Kano 1st Phase Project of the modernization programme will be signed this month; and construction work will commence immediately thereafter.

To start with, the Federal Government is committing the sum of US$2.5 billion dollars – one billion dollars from the Chinese Government concessionary loan and with one and a half billion dollars Federal Government counterpart additions between 2006 and 2007. It is my hope that subsequent Administrations will buy into this vision and that other friendly countries will offer similar concessionary loan assistance to continue the project in the years ahead with the possibility of a West African regional railway system.

I look forward to the successful completion of the first phase of the Project and the realization of our 25-Year Rail Vision for our benefit and those of succeeding generations. Let us collectively welcome the new future of railway service in Nigeria.[/b]

May God continue to bless our dear country, Nigeria.

Thank you.

lawanson44:


That train there uses electricity! GEJ wanted to fix the electricity problem once and for all but apc sends their clouts to bomb the gas turbines which would be used to generate the electricity needed

Really?i like your story but why cant the Government find those APC culprits and put them in jail?abi dem be ghost ni wise one?

diluminati:
GEJ is a joke if you don't know. This is what a country with so much oil money can come up with. Why do some set of nigerians love [size=18pt]MEDIOCRITY[/size]. compare that scrab to this in South Africa, nonsense

I'm assuming you were in south Africa when they had dilapidated rails to change to this present one. or you were there when Mandela asked the whites to work with them to build a better south Africa or better still, you were the contractor that built it. If you don't know what to say, I advice SHUT THE HELL UP. Nobody is here vindicating GEJ, we know he has failed in many areas, but he has also passed in some areas, don't let your general hatred for the man blind you, just like the OP stated. This is the best that Nigeria has achieved in terms of railway, it may not be the best in the world or Africa, but its the best any Nigerian president has achieved, just praise him for that and stop comparing him to others outside nigeria

Mclick:
giving credit when its due yes, but a lot more could still have been done, picture sometimes is different from the real thing. A sight or what the real situation is will convince you..... Coming from somewhere during the week, the sight of many hanging passengers at Ikeja tells nothing has change much

A picture does tell "some" truth, but GEJ cannot manage everything... Safety and security of passenger should be locally managed.

diluminati:


Don't you have an elder in your house?

you ain't making any sense, what does an elder at home have to do with buhari. use ur head and stop posting for likes and share...dumb bitch

APC and PDP fans on this thread are clueless


What I expected we should discuss is about State LGAs and Private sector railway systems

How do we think FG can do everything

It is time we should hand over this responsibility to States LGAs and the private sector.

rozayx5:


i wonder. buhari followers are yet to show us tangible achievements of buhari.

i challenged you to mention ur state and what pdp have done there in the past 15yrs and i will overwhelm you with the past leaders record starting frm buhari who constructed almost all the refineries in the country.

Nice on GEJ


Sai buhari 2015

diluminati:
Substandard and mediocre. They use billions of dollars in construction but see what they come up with. Ediots!

Now ochejoseph compare those your "death trap" rails


to this one below somewhere in SA

[img]http://www.timeslive.co.za/incoming/2011/12/21/train-tracks.jpg/ALTERNATES/crop_630x400/train+tracks.jpg[/img]

The transvetites are here again. What's the difference the two rail tracks you posted above?

Kindly explain to us.

APC and PDP fans on this thread are clueless


What I expected we should discuss is about State LGAs and Private sector railway systems

How do we think FG can do everything

It is time we should hand over this responsibility to States LGAs and the private sector.

Diluminati sincere9gerian

Stress on this

Ucheosefoh:
If I may ask what were our past leaders doing in office all this years starting from Shagari
, Buhari, Babangida, Abacha, Abubakar, Obasanjo and Yar'Adua that the railway were decaying ?

^^^Bros:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPiP-EF01hg

diluminati:
GEJ is a joke if you don't know. This is what a country with so much oil money can come up with. Why do some set of nigerians love [size=18pt]MEDIOCRITY[/size]. compare that scrab to this in South Africa, nonsense

Guy, believe me, GEJ has achieved more than any past Nigerian leader.

If south Africa is passing through the type of calculated insurgency Nigeria is passing through, They will never survive it.

GEJ has indeed achieved so much in the light of the current situation in the country.

WhiteTechnology:
APC and PDP fans on this thread are clueless


What I expected we should discuss is about State LGAs and Private sector railway systems

[size=16pt]How do we think FG can do everything[/size]

It is time we should hand over this responsibility to States LGAs and the private sector.

Exactly!

Everyone wants the FG to handle everything including safety and security of passengers at stations... Will GEJ do everything?

Reference:


But you are also leaving the issue of the railways and introducing a completely seperate issue of insecurity. Can you stick to the topic as well.

Well said but u shud understand that at the present situation any topic posted celebrating what the president has done is just a political campaign though I may be wrong...To celebrate his good work is not the problem cos I also acknowledge the improvement in the railway sector but at this stage its just political and see it is, we shud always table the good and the bad as well

ogb5:


Yes we have people who can do better, Certainly Buhari is not one of them. You can not do better when you are promising to stabilize world oil price that is beyond your control. We have seen those who did worse and left the railway in the previous comatose state, we don't want to try another failure, Buhari.

[color=#006600][/color]

Good points. Well articulated.

Reference:


But you are also leaving the issue of the railways and introducing a completely seperate issue of insecurity. Can you stick to the topic as well.

you are right about that but u shud understand that at the present situation any topic posted celebrating what the president has done is just a political campaign though I may be wrong...To celebrate his good work is not the problem cos I also acknowledge the improvement in the railway sector but at this stage its just politically motivated and as it is, we shud always table the good and the bad as well

angelsing:
.The borno state governor was accuse of being a sponsor, he has just been cleared by the SSS...sometimes is the way we go about handling issue that really matters

Thats is not true.

1. GEJ or FG did not accuse Borno Gov. of sponsoring Boko Haram.
2. SSS did not clear him recently or long time ago!

I dare you to show me proof of any of these.

manny4life:


Exactly!

Everyone wants the FG to handle everything including safety and security of passengers at stations... Will GEJ do everything?

Nigeria is a funny republic

Imagine everything being left in the hands of FG and people expect rapid change

Security
Food
Transport
Shelter
Etc

Are all left in the hands of FG

diluminati:
Substandard and mediocre. They use billions of dollars in construction but see what they come up with. Ediots!

Now ochejoseph compare those your "death trap" rails


to this one below somewhere in SA

[img]http://www.timeslive.co.za/incoming/2011/12/21/train-tracks.jpg/ALTERNATES/crop_630x400/train+tracks.jpg[/img]

While i have nothing against President Jonathan, i think we should stop celebrating mediocrity. What we need in Nigeria is a complete system overhaul. The narrow guage line across the country need to be completely changed to a wide or standard guage. This is what is obtainable in all advanced countries.

@superstar1 thanks for acknowledging the fact that OBJ has been instrumental to this railway project.

diluminati:
You keep showing these trains like it is a big deal. What a shame. Giant of Africa my asssssssssssssssssssssssssssss

[color=#006600][/color]

Yes, it has to be shown repeatedly for the sake of people like you who have eyes but vow not to see because of stunt hatred. GEJ till 2019 and beyond.

Ok isorit we've seen the trail or railway whatever, anything else to show? like reducing fuel price, adequate power supply, chibok girl been rescued, stealing is now corruption, federal road lag-ibn have been patched, more job for the the graduates and unemploy ... tzaaah transformation my a55 ....

Toktee:
i challenged you to mention ur state and what pdp have done there in the past 15yrs and i will overwhelm you with the past leaders record starting frm buhari who constructed almost all the refineries in the country.

so your still accrediting refinery to buhari.
fulani slavery in its finest form

Callfubu:
I'm assuming you were in south Africa when they had dilapidated rails to change to this present one. or you were there when Mandela asked the whites to work with them to build a better south Africa or better still, you were the contractor that built it. If you don't know what to say, I advice SHUT THE HELL UP. Nobody is here vindicating GEJ, we know he has failed in many areas, but he has also passed in some areas, don't let your general hatred for the man blind you, just like the OP stated. This is the best that Nigeria has achieved in terms of railway, it may not be the best in the world or Africa, but its the best any Nigerian president has achieved, just praise him for that and stop comparing him to others outside nigeria

Many of you here are more educated than many of us,but truth is far frm your lips or should i said you are economical with truth,railway project was awarded by obj administration and was fully paid for to the chinese,so what is the noise all about?
Do u mean to said that it is more faster to construct rails than to construct roads,the answer will only xpose the op more.
I live in minna close to railway station,all those train you guys parade up there have nt pass through minna to kano,kaduna or zaria etc,so i dnt knw the part of the country that they are operating.
Talk of rails,what i see here is still the colonial rail lines,with colonial trains that kept waking us,pls excuse us.

angelsing:
Let's not deviate from the issue the Op raised....He posted a pix of the new railway track and couch which is a great improvement from the last government but the question I asked was for him to post a pix of the north as well. Simple!

And what difference will that make in d present situation? What is ur point exactly, Did u ask to post pictures of the North when after the 2011 presidential elections buhari after he failed to win d presidential election ordered his northern terror squad to unleash terror on hapless and helpless innocent Christians in the north? Did he call them to order? I was an INEC presiding officer in 2011 in birnin gwari LGA in kaduna state so I was a witness, we hid for 2 days inside the hospital there just to get out alive but some corpers in katsina and bauchi were not that lucky as they were brutally hacked to death. So bro don't try to insult GEJ, buhari is worse. U want to see Pictures? Pls don't make me laugh.