The Nigerian Government has inaugurated a ‘Steering Committee’ that will handle the concession of the eastern and western lines of the Nigeria’s Railways.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo inaugurated the committee on Thursday, with a demand from the members to get the job done promptly.

Professor Osinbajo said that the committee would create a one-stop shop for the concession, fast track the process and beat the red-tape and bureaucratic bottlenecks.

He further expressed optimism that the Steering Committee headed by the Transportation Minister, Mr Chibuike Amaechi, would be innovative, urging the members to remove whatever obstacles in the way of a smooth concession process.

The Vice President is also hopeful that the committee will meet its deadlines and end up “to be an example of how it should be done.”

He said that the Buhari administration was determined to overcome the challenges of bureaucratic bottlenecks in the public service delivery system.

“I think this Steering Committee is extremely important, because we have tried to bring together everybody that should be involved in this (concession) project in order to see to it that we deliver quickly and efficiently in a manner that justifies Federal Government’s expense in the project.

“The whole idea of the Steering Committee raises the issue we are trying to address, to have a one-stop shop for all approvals, objections or problems so that we can realise our target.”

Speaking after the inauguration, the Minister of Transportation said that the committee was set up to ensure the concession of the nation’s railway and is expected to submit its report in six months.

The 20-Member Committee is composed of officials and individuals from relevant public and private sector agencies and firms and they are to also advise the National Council on Privatisation (NCP) on policy issues that impact on stakeholders’ interest, advise the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) on efforts at improving stakeholders’ relations and also advise BPE and Federal Ministry of Transportation on planning, coordination and implementation of Nigerian Railway Corporation.

Other functions of the committee are to review existing legislations, reports, studies and any other relevant information on the railway sector and provide guidance on policy issues, review economic and financial viability of the project and recommend the level of Federal Government of Nigeria’s investment and review the concession framework developed by the Project Delivery Team.

They will also review the technical, financial and legal framework for the successful preparation and concession of the project, review the activities of the Project Delivery Team that would facilitate the concession, guide the project delivery team in the concession process, assist the concessionaire to obtain all clearances, approvals and permit as may be necessary and assist in organisation of workshops, and public awareness campaigns on the concession process.

The Steering Committee will also brief the NCP and Federal Executive Council (FEC) from time to time on the activities of the Steering Committee; and to carry out any other function that will facilitate the delivery. (Channels TV)

•Photo shows Vice President Osinbajo.

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