RAIL BUSINESS MAGAZINE Monday, 9 August 2021
“By allowing sub-national governments to participate constructively in a critical sector of the economy, we broaden the scope for building more railway infrastructure with wider coverage creating more jobs, improving mobility and acting as a catalyst for economic development”- Rowland Ataguba
● This is a Groundbreaking Development-Rowland Ataguba, Sponsor of Amendment Bill
● Ataguba, Amaechi Deserve Commendation-Olawale Rasheed
Responding to the Senate committee decision, Ataguba described it as “a ground breaking development and one we have craved for a long time.
“It is consistent with our amendments to the NRC Act which passed in the Senate in 2016 and would usher in a new dawn for the railway system. It brings our railway system into consonance with the rest of the world and creates an enabling environment for more investment.
“When I submitted my memorandum to the Constitutional Review Committee last September, I expected a bumpy ride especially when we started to hear that diasporans may not be Nigerian enough to address the NASS.
“By allowing sub-national governments to participate constructively in a critical sector of the economy, we broaden the scope for building more railway infrastructure with wider coverage creating more jobs, improving mobility and acting as a catalyst for economic development. It would enable the emergence of contestable markets in the sector and stimulates private investment in railway operations.
“The existing provisions restrict participation, stifles economic growth and is a drain on public resources as it encourages complacency, mediocrity and inefficiency in service delivery.
“The next line of action is for the harmonised bills to be laid on the floor of both houses of the NASS for 3rd reading whence it passes into law subject to presidential assent. That is as far as the constitutional amendment is concerned.
“Beyond this, the Railway bill needs to be passed and either the National Transport Commission bill is assented to or a new independent regulator is created for railway. So in a nutshell, there is still a lot of work ahead to steer our metaphorical railway Titanic away from the iceberg on which it currently sits.
“A lot of credit must go to the current minister Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi who has not allowed the shenanigans of the NRC to distract from the necessity of restructuring the railway environment. It is the first time in 20 years of our canvassing for a change to the status quo that we have had a supportive minister!!
“There would be more challenges ahead especially in implementing reform to change the institutional culture of the NRC. Notwithstanding we are taking the first ginger steps.
“To the Constitutional Review Committee ably led by the DSP, Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege, I say a big thank you. You have written your names in gold. Hopefully the others will follow suit but there is more work to be done.
“The State Governors and Local Government chairmen need to take a more active interest in these developments. Many of them have railway aspirations and these changes enhance their chances of achieving them”, Rowland Ataguba said in a chat with Railway Business Magazine.
Also commenting on the development , the Director of African Railway Roundtable, Olawale Rasheed commended Mr Ataguba for his persistent commitment to the reform of Nigerian Railway system while also lauding the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi for breaking new ground within the rail sector.
” We commend Mr Rowland Ataguba. He is a passionate rail leader in Nigeria. His consistent push for railway reforms is a well documented. For those of us in the rail advocacy sector, we can confirm that his commitment to the modernisation of Nigerian rail sector is unrivalled.
We also hail the Minister of Transportation under whose many positive developments are being recorded. Hon Amaechi is an acknowledged Mr Railways. We welcome this milestone development and look forward to the eventual approval of the proposed reforms by the plenary sessions of both houses”, Mr Rasheed noted.
We publish the full memorandum here