The Federal Ministry of Transportation has issued a rejoinder to refute allegations by Sahara Reporters alleging that Nigeria’s Transport Minister, Senator Sa’id Ahmed Alkali, diverted a $3 billion railway project from the South-East to his home state, Gombe, for political gain.

The Ministry in statement signed by it Director of Information and Public Relations, Janet McDickson,described the claims as false, misleading and malicious, while insisting that the Port Harcourt-Maiduguri railway rehabilitation project is ongoing, with significant progress made from Port Harcourt to Aba and ongoing works from Aba to Enugu.

The Ministry attributed slow pace of project delivery to funding delay issues and noted that efgorts are on the way to secure funds to complete the project, while clarifying that preliminary surveys were conducted in Gombe as part of the project’s broader scope, affirming that there is no ongoing construction activities as claimed by Sahara Reporters.

The Ministry requested that Sahara Reporters withdraw the report and apologise to Minister for dragging his name and the Ministry in a bad light.

“The Hon. Minister is working assiduously to bring out the dividends of democracy to the entire nation to achieve the mandate of the Ministry and does not deserve to be attached with this fake news.”

The Ministry advised Sahara Reporters to desist from carrying out fake news but work professionally by officially verifying information before publications.

While assuring Nigerians that in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the Ministry is working assidously to connect the entire country through the rail sector to ease transportation .