Governors of the South-east on the platform of South-east Governors Forum, Sunday said they have resolved to partner with governors from South-south, North-east and North-central to rebuild the eastern railway passages linking the zones.
Chairman of the Forum and Ebonyi state governor, Chief David Umahi disclosed this on Sunday while briefing journalists in Abakaliki on the outcome of the Forum’s virtual meeting at the new governor’s lodge.
Umahi noted that the railway is an existing one that needed to be rebuilt but cannot be achieved by South-east governors alone due to poor funding.
The governor also noted that the Forum will unveil the name of its joint security outfit in their next meeting.
According to him, “On a common law for a joint security of South-east, the governors agreed that in our next meeting, a name will be given to the joint South- east security and then we will give go ahead to the Attorney –General to dust the proposal and then send to the House of Assembly for them to deliberate and assent it. We have gone very far on this.”
“We discussed about the eastern corridor, which is the railway passing from Port-Harcourt to the South-east, to North-central and to the North-east; and that is Benue. We discovered that there is no real funding available for this programme and we agreed to collaborate with the governors of South-south, North-central and North-east to dialogue with the federal government to see that this project is inaugurated.
“It is an existing railway line and it is to repair the terminals, to rebuild some of them that collapsed. And this is very important to our people.
Before now, people used to travel to Port-Harcourt, Enugu, Makurdi, Maduguri and we want to see that this programme is resuscitated and funding is made available for this.
Speaking on the Second Niger Bridge, he said, ” We commend Mr. President very highly. The project is on course and we are told that by July 2022, they will hand over the project. The bridge is quite progressing very well, there is also an adjoining 44km of road and the project is funded by the federal governme.
Umahi equally said “the meeting requested the President of Ohanaeze to meet with Prince Arthur Eze and Senator Anyim to mediate between the two. The meeting has directed that both illustrious sons of Alaigbo should cease fire and we appeal to the media not to give light to this misunderstanding between these two brothers.”