The Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Mr. Fidet Okhiria, has said the corporation will begin six train trips daily on its Standard Gauge across board this year.
Okhiria said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
The NRC boss explained that train was meant to operate 24 hours, but the present situation in the country had reduced the turnaround time.
“We are going to increase the number of train trips to six on Lagos-Ibadan, Warri-Itakpe, and Abuja-Kaduna, which means the trips will be three times to and three times fro, making six trips in a day.
“The trips will commence before the second quarter of 2024. Right now, they are running four trips — two up and two down – across board.
“What is limiting us is the night operations. That is not the way a train service should operate. Train is meant to operate at all times. People may like to travel in the evening, but because of the security situation in the country, we limit ourselves to day time.
“We intend to bring back passenger and freight train from Port Harcourt to Aba, Lagos to Kano, and Kaduna because of the dry ports,” Okhiria said.
He said the corporation had vandalism issue at the Warri to Itakpe area in 2023, which was fixed two weeks after the incident took place.
The NRC boss added that it would be difficult for the train tracks to be vandalised when reoccupied.
He said the price of commodities would reduce drastically with the freight train operating across the country.
Okhiria said the corporation would begin the Port Harcourt to Aba and the Lagos to Kano train services for passengers and freight in the first quarter of this year.
According to him, the Dala Dry Port has been asking NRC to come up and bring cargo to them, while the Funtua and Kaduna dry ports have also showed interest in freight haulage.
The NRC boss said the railway would partner the dry ports across the country to reduce the time of doing business and increase government revenue.
He added that NRC had employed junior workers from levels Four and Six, and was awaiting government approval before placing them.
Okhiria said the corporation employed the junior workers to enhance its operations.
He lauded government efforts at connecting rail across the country and urged Nigerians to develop interest in rail transportation.
Credit: thenationonlineng.net
