The Federal Ministry of Transportation has denied allegations that Minister Said Alkali redirected a $3 billion railway project from the South-East to his home state, Gombe, for political reasons.
In a statement on Tuesday, the ministry’s Director of Information, Janet McDickson, dismissed the claims as “false, malicious, and misleading.”
The ministry in the clarified that no railway construction is currently taking place in Gombe and called on the online news platform to retract its report and issue an apology to the minister.
The statement read, “The attention of the management and staff of the Federal Ministry of Transportation has been drawn to a publication by Sahara Reporters alleging that the transport minister diverted a $3bn railway project from the South-East to his home state, Gombe, for political gain.
“The management categorically states that the report is false, misleading, and should be disregarded.
“For the record, the Port Harcourt-Maiduguri narrow gauge railway rehabilitation project was awarded to Messrs China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation in November 2020.”
The ministry noted that work has been completed on the Port Harcourt-Aba section, with train services already operational, while rehabilitation of the Aba-Enugu segment is still ongoing.
“The slow pace of work on the project is due to funding constraints, and the ministry is working closely with the contractor to secure the necessary funds for its completion,” it stated.
The ministry explained that the railway project is being executed in phases, covering Port Harcourt to Aba, Aba to Kafanchan, Kafanchan to Kuru in Jos, and Kuru to Maiduguri.
It noted that a reconnaissance survey was conducted in 2024 across the entire rail line, including Gombe, by key stakeholders—the Federal Ministry of Transportation, the Nigerian Railway Corporation, the contractor, and the consultant.
However, it emphasized that no construction is currently ongoing in Gombe.
“The minister is focused on delivering the dividends of democracy to all Nigerians and remains committed to fulfilling the mandate of the ministry.
“We, therefore, urge Sahara Reporters to verify information before publication and desist from spreading falsehoods that mislead the public. The ministry remains dedicated to President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, working tirelessly to expand the rail network and improve transportation nationwide,” it added.
