The Tinubu Stakeholders Forum (TSF) has lauded the completion of the Port Harcourt-Aba section of the Eastern narrow gauge railway project.This is contained in a statement issued by Mr Ahmad Sajoh, TSF Chairman, and Mr Afolabi Josiah, Secretary of the group.TSF said this was an affirmation of the readiness of the President Bola Tinubu administration to complete the entire Eastern narrow gauge project.

It said the completion and handover of the Port Harcourt-Aba section of the Eastern narrow gauge railway project also marked a key milestone in the broader effort to rejuvenate Nigeria’s railway infrastructure. “We commend the federal government for its continued progress on the Port Harcourt-Aba section of the Eastern Narrow-Gauge railway rehabilitation and reconstruction project, as the completed assets have officially been handed over to the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC).“This for us is a key milestone in the broader effort to rejuvenate a project that will, on completion, will link no less than 14 states including the South East States to the Maiduguri Rail line.“The Port Harcourt-Aba section, nearly 63 kilometres is a critical part of the larger project,” said the group.It said the Eastern Narrow-Gauge Railway Project, which began under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2021 had been a long-standing initiative to connect Nigeria’s key regions and improve trade and mobility.“The Eastern Railway line was originally built between 1913 and 1916 but was extended to Kafanchan in 1927 and further expanded to Maiduguri by 1964.“However, the tracks fell into disrepair over the years, and a series of restoration efforts began in the early 2000s.“Most recently, the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) was tasked with laying new tracks from Port Harcourt to Aba, part of the wider effort to upgrade the entire Eastern Railway corridor,” said TSF.This segment, the group said, included 62.8 kilometers of rehabilitated subgrade, the laying of rail for the main line and the reconstruction of bridges and culverts.It said the rail project would foster improved socio-economic conditions between the South South region and the South East by facilitating faster, safer and more affordable transportation.“We see the completion of that section as a testament to the Tinubu administration’s dedication to modernising Nigeria’s infrastructure, despite historical challenges and misrepresentation,” the group explained.The TSF also shed more light on the cost of the project: “We however wish to correct the misleading reports in a segment of the media regarding the 3 billion dollars cost.“This figure pertains to the entire Port Harcourt-Maiduguri project, which spans over 2,000 kilometers and involves multiple phases of rehabilitation, including the Port Harcourt-Aba segment.“Nigeria is expected to provide about 15 per cent of the cost of the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the rail line while the outstanding balance will be coming from a syndicate of Chinese financiers.”The group said that the cost of the Port Harcourt-Aba section alone was significantly lower than the reported figure and was in line with similar infrastructure projects across the country.“We believe it is essential to present accurate information to the public, particularly regarding infrastructure projects that have the potential to drive national development.“We urge media outlets to ensure clarity in their reporting, especially when it comes to figures and scope,” said TSF. (NAN)

By Ubong Ukpong, Abuja

Labour Party Caucus in the House of Representatives on Thursday, warned that the judiciary must be neutral and fair in the contentious defamation case brought against human rights lawyer, Dele Farotimi by Chief Afe Babalola, SAN. The Caucus expressed deep concerns over the growing trend of anti-democratic activities and developments that undermine Nigeria’s civil governance.

Leader of the Caucus, Hon. Afam Victor Ogene,in a statement released in Abuja, and made available to House of Representatives Correspondents, said the Caucus was quite worried over the recent controversial arrest and imprisonment of Barrister Farotimi, who is facing allegations of defamation initiated by Babalola.The opposition leader said that democracy was under threat when democratic institutions are manipulated against the people by highly placed individuals.According to Hon. Ogene, the manner the embattled lawyer was arrested in a gestapo style from his office in Lagos state, and the harassment of members of staff of his law office, has sparked worries about the erosion of democratic principles and the silencing of dissenting voices in Nigeria.He emphasized that “The judiciary remains the last bastion of hope for all citizens in a democratic society, as such, it is imperative that the judiciary upholds the principles of impartiality and neutrality at all times, regardless of the social status or connections of any party involved in a dispute before it.”The Labour Party Caucus is committed to upholding the values of democracy, human rights, and the rule of law, and in this regard we call on the authorities involved in this controversial case to ensure that Barrister Farotimi’s rights and privileges are not denied.”We also demand that the embattled lawyer be given fair hearing, and not made to suffer from any manipulated processes, as was alleged by him in a statement before his forceful arrest and subsequent imprisonment.”Barrister Farotimi had previously alleged in a press conference that a court process was initiated against him without his knowledge. He claimed that a bench warrant was issued for his arrest, ostensibly for failing to appear in court.Farotimi maintained that these actions were part of a deliberate and fraudulent scheme to manipulate the judicial process, ultimately leading to his arrest and imprisonment.The Nigeria Bar Association NBA, had condemned the development, adding that “These actions constitute a troubling breach of the rule of law and the sanctity of the legal profession.”

By Laide Akinboade, Abuja

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has commenced the second phase of post-disaster assessment across 16 states that were not covered in the first phase, aiming to collect data from communities affected by the 2024 flood.This was contained in the statement by NEMA on Thursday in Abuja.

”The Director General NEMA Zubaida Umar who disclosed this said that the assessment is being carried out in collaboration with the State’s Emergency Management Agencies (SEMAs), the Nigerian Red Cross Society and the International Organization for Migration (IOM). ”NEMA had established an Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) to focus on data collection for managing the 2024 flood disaster.”She explained that the joint assessment with SEMAs and development partners is aimed at providing a unified, accurate representation of the flood’s impact across the affected states.”The second phase of the assessment includes the following states: Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Borno, Ekiti, Gombe, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Lagos, Ondo, Plateau, Sokoto, Yobe, Zamfara, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja,” the statement read in parts.