Ex-governors Babatunde Raji Fashola and Rotimi Amaechi of Lagos and Rivers states respectively, were the cynosure of all eyes at the ongoing Town Hall meeting in Lagos.
NAIJ.com’s crew on ground report that both speakers are among about six other ministers who were invited for the town hall meeting to brief Nigerians on the gains of the present administration, especially on the recent foreign trip of President Muhammadu Buhari to China.
Fashola, who is Nigeria’s minister of Power, Works and Housing, was alongside Amaechi, his compatriot in the Transport and Aviation ministry, hailed by the teeming audience when they were called to make their respective presentations during the meeting.
The minister of power in turn, acknowledged every office represented at the meeting, stating emphatically how glad he was to return home (having served in the capacity of governor for eight straight years).
The former Lagos state governor who made the first presentation, noted that Nigerians’ ways of measuring success in his ministries are not the way they should be measured.
“Results are measured by how many roads have been completed? How much power do we have? How many houses have been provided?
“We hear you loud and clear and we are working backstage to ensure that everything comes out well,”Fashola said.
Speaking frankly on the state of power in the nation, Fashola opened up on how much power Nigeria has and explained why some things are yet to work.
“There is not enough power,” he stated matter-of-factly.
“5,000 megawatts for over 170 million people? Presently, there is no budget and budget is the article of faith. Without it, nothing can be done.”
While seeking Nigerians’ patience on the recent happenings in the country, Amaechi, the transport and aviation minister, noted that “change will not happen in one year.”
In his presentation, the former Speaker of the Rivers state House of Assembly, explained how the the rail projects which the country has embarked on will work, especially the Lagos-Calabar and Lagos-Kano axis.
Work shall commence on the Lagos-Kano expressway before the year ends,” he said.
Amaechi also spoke on the agreement between Nigerian and the Chinese company to execute the railway projects, stating that Nigeria, apart from creating employment opportunities from the trip, will also get other benefits from the Asians.
“I told the Chinese company; give me a University of transportation where Nigerians will study Aviation, Maritime and other studies and I shall give you the contract, and they agreed,” he stated among other demands by his ministry before giving the contract to the foreign company.
The meeting also had in attendance, minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Okechukwu Enelamah; minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeamah; minister of state for Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu as well as Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the minister of Information and Culture.
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