Mr Sabiu Zakari, former Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation, has urged the ministry to continue to engage established contractors conversant with the terrain rather than new ones.
Zakari made the call while handing over to the Acting Permanent Secretary, Dr Hussani Adamu in Abuja,
in a statement issued by the Director, Press of the ministry, Mr Eric Ojiekwe on Wednesday.
According to him, engaging new contractors will incur more costs to the ministry.
He expressed satisfaction at the projects and achievements recorded by the ministry during his tenure.
Zakari listed some of the projects to include the Abuja-Kaduna light rail train service and Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge railway, “which is 90 per cent completed but for the point linking the rail line to Apapa ports.’’
He said the Itakpe-Warri rail line, which was abandoned for over 30 years but had now been completed and was currently being test run as one if the ongoing projects.
On the Road Transport and Mass Transit sector, he said the ministry was able to complete freight offices at Ilela in Sokoto State, Idi-iroko in Lagos State and Jibia in Katsina State and also awarded two new ones.
On the cabottage funds, Zakari said that the ministry had written to CBN to release the money after President Muhammadu Buhari approved that it be disbursed to indigenous ship owners.
He said the fund was to enable ship owners compete in the maritime space as well as create the needed employment opportunities for the teeming unemployed.
Zakari however expressed appreciation to the Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, the Minister of State for Transportation, Sen. Gbemisola Saraki and the erstwhile Minister of State for Transport, Sen. Sirika Hadi for their foresights in introducing the programmes.
He thanked them for revamping moribund infrastructure and for giving him the necessary support to succeed during his service in the ministry.
The former permanent secretary also urged staff of the ministry to give the acting permanent secretary the same level of cooperation that they accorded him.
The acting permanent secretary, responding thanked his predecessor while soliciting for guidance in the discharge of his duties.
He expressed appreciation to the Federal Government for finding him worthy to serve in this capacity.
The Director, Road Transportation and Mass Transit, Dr Anthonia Ekpa appreciated the services and contributions of Zakari, while dwelling mostly on the honours and recognitions he brought to the ministry and the country.
Ekpa said the most notable of such was the hosting of the Africa Transport Policy Programme (SSATP) in Nigeria and the Turkish grant to Nigeria to build the Abidjan – Lagos corridor.
She further prayed that other projects which he devoted so much time and energy would be implemented.
She thanked him for all his achievements and wished him well in his new posting.
