Untill recently I'd come to the conclusion that our President Yar'Adua is at worst a fickle minded leader given to being manipulated by power hogs like Andoaka (pardon the spellings). Not untill I read Azubuike Ishekwene's take on the man's possible culpability in the Ekiti debacle did I really consider whether the man is capable of guile.
Reading the text of Yar'Adua's May 29 anniversary speech however has driven me near the edge confoundment. In it Yar'Adua spoke of his govt's effort at revamping the rail lines by ordering 100 locomotives, from general electric, USA- the first batch of which is expected to start running by the first quater of next year. Never mind the fact that general electric's strength lies in power infrastructures and household goods.
The first question that popped to my mind was on which tracks? Surely our president is well aware that the rail system has been comatose for a while and in need of not a rehabilitation but a total makeover. The Chinese deal which would have seen $8b invested over the course of several years secured by the Obasanjo admin was cancelled by Yar'adua for being overly favourable to the Asians. The plan would have provided for the construction of double gauge rail tracks to replace the existing single guage. And since the cancellation, no alternative plan has been forward. So when he talked of new locomotives - by next year?! On which tracks are they to run? In the govt warehouses?
And speaking of locomotives, why those and and not railcars? We not talking expensive speed trains here. Just simple functional technology that's in use. Anybody who owns anything tokunbo like I do would appreciate the problems with getting spare parts for outdated technology. In the case of trains, you either source them from India or from the manufacturers, if you have a service agreement in place. In either case, it's bound to be expensive.
That Yar'adua would promise a functional rail system by a deadline he should know is impossible suggest one of two things: 1) He disconnected from realities and is clueless abt the infrastructural challenges facing the nation; 2) He knows what those challenges are but would rather than get to work waste precious efforts trying to beguile Nigerians to cover up for his own inactivity. Which do you think it is?
Either way, the answer does not portend well for the country he leads. 2011 cannot be here soon enough. I know some would say it doesn't matter but anything to hang on would be better than nothing at all.
Dare Adodo
NB: CBN Governor, Soludo's tenure effectively ended yesterday, May 29. The president is yet to make a pronouncement. Meanwhile speculations surrounding Sanusi Lamido as successor continues. Doesn't anybody in this govt think the president is taking his tardy ways a little too far?
No comments:
Post a Comment