There’s uneasy calm in the Ministry of Transportation over public scrutiny on controversial Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the ministry’s Director General, Said Alkali on Tuesday.
The MoU, signed between the Federal Ministry of Transportation and MPH Rail Development (UK) Limited, stemmed from a proposal presented by the British African Business Alliance (BABA) in 2019, aims to explore the possibility of executing the Port Harcourt-Calabar-Enugu-Abuja standard gauge rail project with 100 percent private sector funding, as highlighted in the document.
It has however sparked concerns and raised eyebrows among the public, particularly on social media platforms.
Speaking on the matter, Director of Press and Public Relations, Olujimi Oyetomi on Sunday acknowledged the prevailing tension, stating, “There’s uneasy calm in the Transportation Ministry over public query on the controversial MoU.”
Oyetomi explained the non-binding nature of the agreement, clarifying, “It is not a legally binding agreement. It provides only a platform for further engagement, discussion, scrutiny, and the provision of required guarantees by the parties to reach an agreement if the parties are satisfied.”
Oyetomi reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to transparency and due diligence, stating, “The Ministry wishes to reassure Nigerians and the general public that it is committed to discharging its statutory mandate towards the realization of the ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’ of Mr. President to deliver efficient, affordable, and sustainable transport infrastructure for the country with utmost diligence and fidelity.”
Despite attempts to allay concerns, the Ministry remains under pressure to address the public query surrounding the controversial MoU.
