Tinubu’s minister accused of selling railway assets as scraps to Chinese firms

• The Alliance for Public Asset Protection and Accountability (APAPA) has accused transport curate Sa’idu Ahmed Alkali of secretly selling functioning railway infrastructure arsenic scrap
• In a petition to the National Assembly, APAPA alleged that the curate colluded with officials of the Railway Property Management Company Limited (RPMCL) to merchantability captious assets
• The civilian nine radical called for the minister’s contiguous dismissal and a afloat nationalist inquiry, informing of nationwide protests if nary enactment is taken wrong 30 days

Abuja, FCT - A civilian nine organisation has accused the curate of transport, Sa’idu Ahmed Alkali, of overseeing the unlawful merchantability of invaluable railway assets nether the guise of scrap disposal, and petitioned the National Assembly to instrumentality urgent action.

In a elaborate petition addressed to the Senate and House of Representatives, the Alliance for Public Asset Protection and Accountability (APAPA) alleged that the minister, successful collusion with officials of the Railway Property Management Company Limited (RPMCL) and unnamed backstage consultants, has facilitated secretive income of functioning railway instrumentality and infrastructure to overseas buyers, peculiarly Chinese firms.

Transport Minister Sa’idu Ahmed Alkali accused of overseeing amerciable railway plus sales. Photo credit: @SenAlkali
Source: Twitter

“Functioning infrastructure sold arsenic scrap” - Group claims

In the petition, APAPA president, Dr. Aminu Garba, said the radical has "credible quality that the curate of transport, successful collusion with RPMCL officials, is disposing of captious railway infrastructure without transparency oregon accountability".

The radical further claimed that locomotives and signalling systems acquired little than 10 years ago, inactive successful moving condition, person been labelled arsenic scrap and sold astatine undervalued rates.

“These alleged consultants were handpicked without immoderate competitory bidding process. Their ngo is to facilitate hurried income of viable infrastructure for idiosyncratic and overseas gain,” the petition read.

Chinese firms among alleged buyers

According to APAPA, astir of the assets are being acquired by Chinese companies successful concern with insiders, often astatine "rock-bottom prices" and shipped overseas with nary tangible payment to the Nigerian public.

The radical noted that the Ministry has failed to amusement fiscal records indicating that proceeds from the income were remitted to the government.

“There is nary disposable reinvestment into the railway sector. The fewer operational trains are poorly maintained, information has worsened, and passengers are progressively stranded successful remote, unsafe locations,” Garba added.

Sector regressing nether existent medication - APAPA

APAPA accused the ministry of abandoning ongoing improvements made nether erstwhile President Muhammadu Buhari's administration, particularly successful the areas of modernisation and obstruction safety.

“In the past year, the obstruction strategy has deteriorated alarmingly. No caller coaches, nary upgrades to infrastructure, and nary innovation—only clandestine income and plus stripping,” the radical said.

They warned that Nigeria’s railway improvement is astatine hazard of full illness if contiguous corrective measures are not taken.

Minister bypassing regulatory agencies, radical alleges

The petition besides accused Alkali of bypassing statutory agencies, including the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) and the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), successful the plus disposal process.

“This is simply a gross usurpation of Nigeria’s procurement laws and regulatory framework. The Minister’s actions indispensable not spell unchecked,” the petition stated.

Call for minister’s sack, parliamentary probe

APAPA called connected President Bola Tinubu to instantly disregard the Transport Minister and urged the National Assembly to motorboat a afloat nationalist enquiry into the activities of RPMCL and its consultants.

“This authorities cannot spend to look the different mode portion nationalist assets are looted successful wide daylight,” Dr. Garba said.

Civil nine radical APAPA demands a probe into concealed railway transactions involving overseas buyers. Photo credit: @SenAlkali
Source: Twitter

The radical warned that it would mobilise civilian nine groups nationwide and statesman a sustained run if authorities neglect to enactment wrong 30 days.

Warri-Itakpe bid derailment: Stranded passengers speak

Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that passengers connected committee the Warri-Itakpe bid were near stranded successful a dense wood successful Kogi state connected Wednesday, April 10, aft the bid developed method problems mid-journey, sparking fears and prompting a hopeless three-hour trek by immoderate travellers done the wilderness.

Kola Edokpayi, a lawyer and societal commentator who was among the stranded passengers, shared his acquisition successful a bid of Facebook posts.

According to him, helium opted to question by bid from Agbor, Delta state, to Itakpe, Kogi state, aft helium couldn’t unafraid a formation to Abuja.

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Source: Legit.ng