Daura is part of Nigeria, Minister defends building of Transport Uni in Buhari’s hometown

The Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, says President Muhammadu Buhari did not influence the decision to establish the University of Transportation in his hometown in Daura, Katsina state.

The announcement to site the N18 billion university in Katsina state had attracted criticisms from many Nigerians.

But, speaking at an interactive session with journalists in Abuja, Amaechi noted that the University was not sited outside of Nigeria.

“Daura is also part of Nigeria”, the Minister announced. “The president did not even know I will choose Daura. The reason, Daura is part of Nigeria. If we sighted it in Sokoto, it is still part of Nigeria. So why is the emphasis on Daura?

“If I had chosen Port Harcourt, Enugu, that is the same way I would have chosen Daura. The people of Daura should not be deprived of these things because the president is from there,” he declared.

‘Uninterrupted power supply if Buhari is wins in 2019’

Amaechi who also heads the campaign for President’s reelection urged Nigerians to vote Buhari in 2019 ‘so Nigeria can enjoy uninterrupted power supply.’

“There is also an improvement in power. We have from 3000megawatt to 7000 but we are distributing 5000 because some of the Infrastructures are not in good state but we are slowly fixing them,” Amaechi said.

“The expectation is that it should be 24-hours power supply but there will still be a gap but if you give us a second term, that gap will be closed.

“It is also unfair if Nigerians think the ministry of works is not working. My final year as governor, Energy wrote that they will take care of 50 percent of the bill and I wrote again to the federal government but they didn’t reply because I was in APC.

“Now that the federal government wants to do it, the cost is now N120bn. Buhari government is dealing with corruption and is building roads,” he added.

He disclosed that the Federal Government is negotiating a $6 billion dollar loan to complete the Lagos-Ibadan rail corridor.

Earlier, the minister had extolled Yetunde Soyinka, the outgoing Director of Press and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Transportation, for her service to the Nigeria.