Follow Us on Google
By Fidelis Ugbomeh
The Federal government plans to link all state capitals, seaports and dry ports by railway lines and the removal of Nigerian Railway Corporation, NRC from exclusive to concurrent list by National Assembly will enhance rail development in the country.
Thid remark was made recently in Lagos by Engr. Fidet Okhiria, managing director of Nigerian Railway Corporation while speaking on activities of the corporation and future plans.
Okhiria said that management is ready to partner with the private sector and state governments willing to invest in construction of Inland dry ports and rail construction respectively.
The removal of the monopoly hitherto enjoyed by the corporation is expected to translate into private and state governments in the development of rail infrastructure.
According to him the purpose of establishing Inland dry ports at Kano and Kaduna is meant to provide space for offloading of containerized goods from Lagos for onward transfer to their owners by road as well as return of empty containers to Lagos.
He noted that the Lagos to Kano freight and passenger train service is expected to commence operation in the first quarter of this year as soon as ongoing replacement of vandalized tracks is completed.
Okhiria stressed that most of the freight destined for Kaduna and Kano from Lagos will be offloaded at the Kaduna and Kano Inland dry ports as soon as freight train operations commence this quarter pending transfer of such consignments by road to their various destinations.
According to him the Port-Harcout to Aba narrow gauge corridor is expected to commence passenger train operation by January this year while work is still ongoing on the rehabilitation of tracks along the Umuahia -Enugu railway corridor with a view to commence operation this year.
He explained further that the aim of government is to ensure that the railway tracks are operational (busy) so as to make it less attractive to vandals.
The NRC boss disclosed that the Nigerian Railway Police in collaboration with the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corpsbrecently arrested and prosecited some people specialized in the vandalization of tracks.
He said that apart from arresting track vandals the corporation will also beam searchlight on the buyers or the companies that purchase stolen railway tracks.
Okhiria posited that the corporation will continue to collaborate with communities and traditional rulers along the railway corridor on the need to enlighten their subjects on the essence of protecting government properties in the best interest of the country.
