BEVERLY HILLS, March 15, (THEWILL) -A socio-political organisation, the Concerned Youths of Eastern Nigeria (CYEN), has risen to condemn attacks on the Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, on the narrow gauge line from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri.
The youth group, which saw such attacks as a big distraction capable of stalling the project, said the vilification was politically motivated with the major intent of blackmailing the Minister of Transportation and dragging his reputation in the mud.
CYEN, responding to a press statement by the World Igbo People’s Assembly (WIPAS) endorsed by its Chairman Board of Trustees, Mr. Chuck’s Ibegbu stated: “The Honourable Minister has taken time to explain that the two gauge lines whether narrow or standard have the same features for efficiency depending on some key technical factors.
“Therefore, it is very unthinkable for those who are supposed to be in the know to start having issues with a true Igbo son who knows what is good for his people.
“For a very long time, we have not been privy to federal projects in the East where erosion has eaten up virtually all our major roads and rendering transportation of our goods and services to other parts of the country completely dysfunctional.
“Our major source of income down South here is business all round and if our son has been able to ensure this axis is accommodated in the national scheme of things, we should be grateful to God and the Minister instead of vilifying him because of politics.
“We sincerely think those behind this cocktail of lies should apologise to the Minister because since his adventure to the central politics of Nigeria, every geo-political zone, including the East, has had a fair share of distribution of infrastructure in roads and rail projects.”
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WIPAS had queried why the rail line from the West to the North should be standard gauge and that from the East should be narrow gauge, and called for the rejection of the project.
“The Federal Government is building a standard rail gauge rail line from Daura to Maradi in Niger Republic and Rotimi Amaechi allowed this insult on his people,” Ibegbu stressed.
It however urged Igbo leaders to caution those behind the smear campaign, CYEN noted that, “If allowed to continue, the zone could again be denied their due percentage from the national quota.”
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