A Rights Group, Voters Rights Assembly has called for the resignation of the Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi over contract scandal.
This was made in a statement by Group’s Executive Director, Yinka Dada made available to newsmen.
Dada lamented the worsening state of insecurity across the country, saying that insecurity in Nigeria has now reached an unbearable all time low level.
He decried the fact considering the worrisome development, Nigerians are given the option to pray instead of the government taken responsibility to provide security for its citizens.
On the recent Abuja-Kaduna train attack., he noted that the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi rather than finding the courage to accept responsibility for the security lapse had the effontery instead to accuse other authorities within the government of sabotaging efforts at mounting surveillance equipment systems at the rail lines
The statement reads in part:,”Nigerians are no longer safe. Airports, railway stations and the roads are now dreaded movement options for citizens, with obvious and ceaseless attacks. Nothing can be more disturbing. Our security agencies are now understandably incapable of securing lives and movements of Nigerians at the Airport, railway lines and on the roads. It is a national shame.
“Our Minister of Transportation rather than finding the courage to accept responsibility for the security lapse had the effontery instead to accuse other authorities within the government of sabotaging efforts at mounting surveillance equipment systems at the rail lines. This is the worst of it all.
“From findings and informations available to the public, the Hon. Minister of Transportation Hon. Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi did a great disservice to the nation by placing personal interest above national interest.
“The minutes of the FEC meeting of September 24, 2021, marked EC (2021)236, which was presided over by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, while the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), was attending the United Nations General Assembly, Amaechi recommended that a firm, Mogjan Nigeria Limited, be given the contract worth N3.7bn.
“The firm, which was incorporated on August 6, 2019, by Prince Godwin Momoh, Chioma Momoh and George Momoh(all of the same family), had a turnover of N84.9m.
“We had doubts about the capability of a company, which was formed less than two years prior and had no track record of handling a contract of N3.7bn or a contract on surveillance systems. The company was also to be paid upfront. Our investigation pointed to a conflict of interest,” said a top Presidency official.
“Consequently, Ministers in the council questioned the capacity of the firm to deliver as well as the failure of Amaechi to provide proper detail on the capabilities of the equipment.
“There was also a scanty record of the company’s past projects, which could prove that it was capable of executing such a project as a report by the Federal Ministry of Transportation showed that the firm had no evidence of carrying out such a project in the past.
“The minutes of the FEC meeting read in part, “Some members expressed concern about the quality of the memorandum as there was no description of the surveillance system concept note, brand name, country of manufacture or review by the previous user to enable them to make informed decisions.
“They stated that as sophisticated as the surveillance system was touted to be, there were no indications that it had been demonstrated and tested by the security technology agencies. They equally observed that all the projects were lumped together under one budget line, which they noted was not good enough as each rail line project was supposed to be captured in its individual budget line.”
“From the foregoing, it is evident that Minister Rotimi Amaechi did not put national interest forward. It is clear that all he attempted to do was favoritism. It is even crystal annoying that after the attacks, he insulted the sensibilities of Nigerians by justifying his personal interest for the attacks.
“Nigerians are dying daily and our nation is now watered with the blood of citizens whose government seem incapable of protecting their lives.
“In a saner clime, Rotimi Amaechi should have turned in his resignation by now. And since he has refused, the citizens owe it a duty to ask for his resignation. Our lives are precious and the sovereignty of this nation must not be continually subjected to the dictates of banditry and insecurity of any form. The dignity of Nigerians is waning and this is the time to show that no Nigerian is more Nigerian than the other.
“As a coalition, we want to ask these pertinent questions- What is the worth of the live of a Nigerian? Who is responsible for the protection of lives and properties of Nigerian citizens? Are we under the control of bandits? Have we now accepted insecurity as a new normal? Who is to ensure the efficiency of the security apparatuses? Why are the non-state actors having a free reign inspite of huge budgetary allocations to the security agencies aimed at reining in the assault on public infrastructures and free killing of innocent citizens?
“President Buhari, it is time to pity Nigerians. The Federal Government led by Your Excellency should act now in favour of the citizens. We demand Amaechis resignation immediately or his sack by the C-in-C.
“Nigerians are tired of condolences emanating from Aso Rock Villa. Nigerians demand action.”
The threatened that in the next few days that Nigerians will demonstrate their grievances in a peaceful manner.
“In the next few days, the citizens will respond peacefully through collective struggle for emancipation from the grip of non- state actors by demanding the sack of appointees who have shown clear negligence in their line of duty.
“The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi is one and we collectively, here and now, demand his resignation.
“The railway system cannot continue to wet the appetite of anyone’s Presidential ambition with the blood of innocent Nigerians.
Amaechi should GO. And, he should resign NOW. Enough is Enough!,” the group stressed.
