The Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Engineer Fidet Okhiria has revealed that a lack of funding is the reason why work on the Calabar-Port Harcourt-Lagos Coastal Rail and the Ibadan-Abuja rail projects has not started.
He spoke at the weekend during the Corporations 2023 End Of Year Media briefing. The NRC MD explained that it is the desire of the Federal Government to ensure that all State capitals, inland dry ports, and seaports are connected by rail.
According to Engineer Fidet Okhiria, “The Federal Government’s desire is to ensure that all State capitals are linked by rail, all Inland Dry Ports and seaports are also linked by rail. Presently, work is ongoing on the Kaduna-Kano rail. The contractor has started laying tracks in a place called Makarfi close to Zaria down to Kano. The formation from Makarfi to Kaduna to Zaria to link Idu is ongoing.
The Kano-Maradi construction is also ongoing. For the Calabar-Port Harcourt-Lagos Coastal rail, serious meetings is already ongoing to see the quickest and easiest way of raising funds. Also, the Ibadan-Abuja rail is also delayed due to funding. The line is expected to run from Ibadan through Minna to Abuja.”
On the Lagos-Ibadan cargo rail, the NRC MD explained that double handling charges have been an issue for customers.
“Most of our passengers complained of double or multiple handling charges. Our charges to move a container to and from Lagos to Ibadan are N208,000. If we want to take a container to Ibadan and also return the empty, we charge N208.000; that is N104,000 going and N104,000 coming. I am sure there is no truck that will take a container to Ibadan for N104,000, not to talk of taking it back for same amount.
