Nigeria Railway Corporation committed to existing projects completion

….As MD raises alarm over persistent vandalism by criminals

Authorities of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) says it is working towards completing all the Railway projects despite internal and external challenges. Management also raised alarm over the repeated vandalization of its new and old rail infrastructures nationwide.

Addressing transport journalists at the headquarters in Lagos, Fidet Okhiria, managing director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation disclosed that, the worst issue faced by the management is vandalization of the track which is a big problem.

According to him, ” It is a big problem that once we replace them, they (vandals) will come back to attack them,” Engr. Fidet Okhiria, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer (MD/CEO) of Nigerian Railway Corporation said on Thursday, December 28, 2023 at an interactive session with journalists in his office in Lagos.

The NRC helmsman regretted that, a case in point is the frequency of vandalization that occurs along the Mushinrail corridor in Lagos.

“Just before the Christmas, there was vandalization and 200 clips were replaced. Three days after the same spot was vandalised. So, we are looking for sustainable ways and means to protect that place”.

Ysterday, we held a management meeting, and may be we have to engage a special team to guide that spot between Mushin and Oshodi,” he noted.

While emphasizing that vandalization of Nigerian Railway infrastructure is a serious problem, Okhiria reemphasized his solution: “As I said in one of my media briefings, I think we should look inwards and check the so-called iron companies that are manufacturing iron, that go after the iron, and encouraging and patronizing people who go about stealing tracks.”

He advised iron manufacturers to endeavour to get their raw materials from appropriate sources.

Fidet Okhiria disclosed that the corporation is trying to recommence Lagos-Kano project in order to fulfill the directive of the minister.

“You remember, during the maiden visit of the minister he gave us an assignment to ensure that we are able to run between Lagos and Kano by December, so we’re working on it inhouse, and our men are trying their best to ensure we achieve that,”.

Okhiria pointed out that a locomotive and some wagons have arrived Minna successfully hoping that maybe, by the following day, it would get to Kaduna.

“We have also moved from Kano to Kaduna,” he disclosed, noting that security challenge is the matter.

He hoped that the corporation’s workers will complete the track between Minna and Kaduna in the next five days. “Hopefully, luck being on our side, by January we will start skeletal service trying the track to see how it can go while we continue to put security in place,” he stated while pointing out that some vandalized slippers were replaced the day before.

The Port Harcourt to Maidugri reconstruction project is on and the contractor has promised that it will be ready in 10 days time, the NRC chief executive officer disclosed.

MIKE OCHONMA