In a victory for advocacy, President Muhammadu Buhari has agreed to include the Lagos-Calabar Rail Project in the 2016 Appropriation Act, following public outcry and pressure from lawmakers, including Senator Rilwan Adesoji Akanbi.
Senator Akanbi, representing Oyo South, had publicly urged President Buhari not to sign the budget until the project was reinstated. He argued that the project’s external funding requirements made it time-sensitive and unsuitable for a supplementary budget.
Sen. Akanbi’s stance contradicted that of Senate spokesperson, Aliyu Sabi, who suggested that Buhari should sign the budget and send a supplementary budget for the rail project later. Sen. Akanbi insisted that the project’s importance and funding requirements necessitated its inclusion in the main budget.
As a result of the president’s decision, the Federal Government and CCECC have signed an agreement to build the $11.12 billion Lagos-Calabar railway route, expected to be completed within two years.
Sen. Akanbi’s persistence and advocacy played a significant role in the project’s reinstatement. He had expressed disappointment that the Appropriations Committee removed the project without consulting the concerned committee and urged the president to return the budget to the National Assembly for amendment.
