Nation
Senate Advocates Maximum Punishment For Rail Line Vandals
The Senate has called for maximum punishment without an option of fine for rail lines vandals across the country.
The Senate called on the Federal Government and relevant security agencies to ensure that the perpetrators responsible for dismantling rail lines across the country are charged with economic sabotage, as well as, dealt maximum punishment without an option of fine.
This was just as the chamber urged the relevant authorities including the Nigerian Railway Corporation to engage the services of local security guards along all the Railway Lines in the country.
These were resolutions reached after the upper chamber considered a motion on the “urgent need to curb the dismantling of the standard/narrow gauge rail lines by some disgruntled elements in Nigeria”.
Sponsor of the motion, Senator Buhari Abdulfatai (Oyo North), in his presentation, “notes that the railway boosted the Nigerian local content through the employment of indigenous workers from the various ethnic groups in the country, and was therefore acknowledged as having a diversified workforce.
“Aware that the Nigerian rail has been neglected for decades but in recent time, the government has stepped up the rehabilitation, revitalization, reinvigoration and construction of railways across the country.
“Acknowledges that the Warri-Itakpe standard gauge rail line was commissioned by President Muhammadu Buhari on September 23, 2020, with freight services further commissioned on April 16, 2021.
“Considers that the rail transport system is the most cost-effective, affordable, energy-saving and environmentally-friendly form of transportation.
“Also, considers that the economic level of traffic can be consolidated to enable the railway provide efficient services for high-density flows of homogenous traffic over a relatively long distance, particularly the high volumes of containerized cargo or bulk freight such as oil and gas, coal, steel or agricultural products.
“Concerned that recently some unscrupulous persons damaged, vandalized and maliciously cut some portions of the newly constructed Warri-Itakpe rail line at about kilometre 30 in Adogo, Kogi State.
“Aware that in Niger State, the Nigerian Police Force intercepted trucks loaded with tail tracks and pieces of rail sleepers along Kataeregi-Minna road.
“Alarmed that the newly completely Lagos-Ibadan rail line was vandalized in 2019 where clips, bolts and knots of the rail tracks were carted away.
“Further alarmed that the same incident of theft of rail clips that hold the sleepers and rail together happened in Zaria, Kaduna State, even as it would be recalled that in May, this year, a train loaded with water pipes from Lagos to Zaria derailed along Kanawa axis, opposite Sultan Bello Mosque in Kaduna due to vandals’ activities.
“Worried that all the aforementioned rail vandalism can cause acute train mishap, resulting in loss of precious lives which is tantamount to murder and destruction of properties,” Abdulfatai said.
Accordingly, the upper chamber urged the Federal Government, particularly the Federal Ministry of Transport and the relevant security agencies to ensure that the perpetrators, including the saboteurs are charged for economic sabotage with maximum punishment without option of fine.
It also urged the relevant authorities including the Nigerian Railway Corporation to engage the services of local security guards along all the Railway Lines in the country.
The Senate also mandated its Committee on Police Affairs to liaise with the hierarchy of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and the National Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to work out modalities towards regular patrol and surveillance of rail tracks within the country.
Rivers state Deputy Governor Professor Ngozi Nma Odu has commended “The Port Harcourt City One Love,”a Port Harcourt based humanitarian orgnisation For it’s commitment towards alleviating the sufferings of the poor and vulnerable in the society.
Professor Ngozi Nma Odu said this while speaking at this year’s edition of “operation feed the needy” a yearly outreach program of “The Port Harcourt City One Love ” in Port Harcourt.
The Deputy Governor said by feeding more than sixty thousands hungry people within the past six years, the Port Harcourt City One Love Movement has distinguished itself as a club that cares for the less privilege in the society.
She commended the , organization for listing eleven thousand persons to be fed in the current exercise.
Meanwhile The Port Harcourt City One Love has planned a permanent solution to the problem of feeding the poor in the state.
The leader of the group Mr Idaere Gogo Ogan who said this in an interview with newsmen during the distribution of food items to the poor and vulnerables in Port Harcourt said the organization is planning a permanent food kitchen where poor and vulnerable persons can work in anytime and get fed.
Idaere Gogo Ogan said more than sixty thousands poor and vulnerable persons across Port Harcourt City and environs have been fed since the inception of “The operation feed the needy” program six years ago,adding that so far sixty thousands poor and vulnerable persons have beneffited.
He described the group as a platform to promote friendship, brotherhood, community development empathy and feeding the less privilege and hungry people
“That’s what we are doing today here,so we started the exercise six years ago”.he said.
Ogan said the effort was a private sector driven initiative but added “it also involves people in Government because the platform does not recognize any division,we bring everybody together in unity , friendship and brotherhood”he said.
He said the effort will go along way in alleviating hunger especially following the prevailing hunger in the country.
According to him “you know the country is very tough, people are hungry people are starving, there is a whole lot of economic hardship,so for us, this is just our own way of reaching out, our own social contribution to what is very difficult”he said.
Over eleven thousand persons were fed in the just concluded exercise.
Areas of coverage include, Isaac Boro park, Port Harcourt prison/Macoba, Borokiri/Enugu waterside Bundu areas Waterlines and others.
Some of the beneficiaries including an 80 years old widow commended the movement for the annual programm and urged other organizations to emulate them
John Bibor,/Esuuk Oyet/Suotor Memoye /Jeremiah Hannah
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