In a bid to tackle the rampant vandalism of transportation infrastructure, particularly properties belonging to the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), the Federal Government has embraced a partnership proposal put forward by the Broadcasting Organization of Nigeria (BON).
This move was announced by the Minister of Transportation, Said Alkali, during a meeting with a delegation from BON led by its Vice Chairman, Tony Akiotu, on Thursday.
Alkali, represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Transportation/Marine and Blue Economy, Oloruntola Olufemi, emphasized the crucial role the media can play in combating vandalism. He said, “The media can do a lot in helping to combat vandals of rail infrastructure,” and urged BON to collaborate with the ministry in this endeavor.
Furthermore, Oloruntola highlighted President Bola Tunubu’s directive for all public events to commence with the national pledge, aiming to foster a stronger sense of citizenship and commitment to nationhood among Nigerians. He urged the media to redirect people’s attention to this spirit of commitment.
Addressing the issue of public infrastructure vandalism, Oloruntola emphasized the importance of citizens reporting such incidents promptly. He urged BON to contribute by airing jingles encouraging people to report vandals of public property.
Oloruntola also addressed the recent controversy surrounding the Minister of Transportation, Said Alkali, and his critics regarding the memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the Porthacourt-Calabar-Enugu-Abuja Standard Rail Project. He clarified that the Minister is dedicated to his job and open to receiving advice, and suggested that BON could assist in defending the government’s position.
In response, the Vice Chairman of BON Tony Akiotu, affirmed the organization’s commitment to collaborating with the Ministry of Transportation. He expressed concern over the increasing vandalism of rail lines across the country and proposed using BON’s platform for enlightenment and education of critical stakeholders in the transportation sector.
“BON believes that the Federal Ministry of Transportation can also use the various members of BON to project and promote the activities of the Ministry to the public; We offer you our fellowship and partnership to make sure that you are able to deliver on your mandate.” He said.
