The Minister for Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, has pledged to
complete all ongoing rail projects around the country and extend rail
lines to all parts of the country.
Amaechi made the pledge during his first day in office as minister shortly
after his inauguration by President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja on
Wednesday.
He said that he would resume work fully on Nov. 17 when the new Permanent
Secretary, Mr Sabiu Zakari, would equally assume duty at the ministry.
The minister added that his meeting with the Permanent Secretary and the
Directors on Nov. 17 would begin by looking at the budget and its level of
implementation.
According to him, the meeting is necessary to chart a new course toward
completing all ongoing projects, especially the rail and extending it to
different part of the country.
Amaechi, however, called for cooperation from all parastatals and agencies
of the ministry and the aviation sector.
He promised to ensure a smooth working relationship with the Minister of
State for Aviation for the development of the sector as well as meeting
the expectations of Nigerians.
The minister also urged the staff to always play by rule, adding that 的
belief in principles of discharging my duties鋳.
展e are interested in completing all ongoing rail projects around the
country because we don稚 want to disappoint Nigerians.
的t is important that we realise that we have a mandate to deliver on our
promises and there is competition among the ministers to deliver and we
don稚 want to take last.
Amaechi also emphasised on the issue of corruption, warning that anybody
that would work with him must not approach him for money.
In his speech, the Minister of State for Aviation, Mr Hadi Sirika, said
that it was an era of new thinking for the actualisation of the change
agenda of the Federal Government.
Sirika added that the era of talking tough without acting was over,
stressing that whatever was said was what would be done.
He assured that Buhari痴 administration would deliver on its promises,
adding that the government was aware of the high hope and expectation of
Nigerian.
Sirika, however, pledged to ensure a harmonious working relationship with
the Minister of Transportation to achieved results in the implementation
of policies and programmes.
Also, the Permanent Secretary, who was also appointed by the president on
Tuesday, expresses optimism that the new ministers would deliver on the
visions and missions of the change agenda of the government.
Zakari pledged to give maximum cooperation to the new ministers to assist
them in the discharge of their duties effectively.