The Nigerian Railway Workers, under the aegis of Nigeria Union of Railway Workers (NUR), have advised the Executive and the Legislative arms of the government to harmonize their positions and ensure the re-inclusion of the Lagos- Calabar railway project in the 2016 budget.
In a statement signed by the Secretary General of the Union, Comrade Segun Esan, the National Assembly and its concerned committees and the executive arm of government were advised to desist from further blame trade and get to resolve the Lagos – Calabar railway project issue for the sake of Nigerians.
“The Presidency and the national assembly should stop any further bickering and blame trade that is going on in the media as a result of the alleged removal or non-inclusion of the Lagos – Calabar railway project in the 2016 budget. Such blame trade will not help us as a nation but rather will portray us as unserious people. The only patriotic and honest thing to do now is for the executive and the legislative arms to come together and clear the project for inclusion in the budget. No two ways about that. If we are really sincere with practically taking steps to reverse the infrastructure deficiency that is the bane of our nation and also to justify various investments Mr. President has secured from China for the development of various parts of our national economy, Lagos – Calabar railway project must be returned”, Comrade Segun Esan said.
Comrade Segun Esan said the law makers and the presidency should be more concerned about what the nation stands to benefit from such railway project. “Apart from such project reversing our national status as infrastructure-deficient nation, completion of such project will provide job opportunities for over 100, 000 Nigerian youths and the nation will be further strongly integrated. Such project will stimulate rural and urban renewals, wealth and population distribution, tourism, poverty eradication, cheap and effective movement of products, ports decongestion and proliferation of dry ports which altogether will impact most positively on the economic growth”, Esan added.
Esan wondered why anybody or group of persons worth any essence of patriotism would stand against such project that would make life more livable for the Nigerian masses. “As a Union, we wonder what anybody or group of persons wishes to gain by standing in the way of the nation’s progress. Our approach to national issues must be essentially detribalized, devoid of parochial political colouration and selfish interest. Are we, as a nation, winning the fight against corruption or corruption is fighting us back and winning if, after securing foreign investments to build infrastructure and other vital segments of the economy, such basis for the investments is now being reportedly expunged or not included in the budget”, Esan queried.
Esan further advised the national assembly and the judiciary to support the presidency in its fight against corruption and quest for a better Nigeria. He also urged President Mohammadu Buhari to scrutinize the budget ‘most diligently and expeditiously so as to reduce the economic pains and hardship borne by Nigerians as a result of the delay in signing the budget into law’.
