Reviving railways for sustainable socio-economic development.

[FMINigeria]

By Sampson Ikemitang.

The rail transport which has been in disrepair soon after the attainment of independence with successive administration paying just lip service to the sub-sector, has in recent times received priority attention by the President Goodluck Jonathan through his Transformation Agenda.

In line with the transportation plan in the Vision 20: 2020, the rail is now being revived and rehabilitated along the line of what obtained in the developed world where rail transportation is contributing well to their transport sector. This is to ensure that rail transportation in Nigeria, also assumes its pride of place as a veritable means of mass transit; stimulating socio-economic activities for national growth and development by accounting for daily movement of goods and thousands of people across the country.

The rail lines are being rehabilitated and expanded with some abandoned rail routes already being restored. The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), a government body regulating the operation of rail in the country, for instance, is gradually restoring and expanding passenger and good train services after many years of desertion.

Indeed, the hitherto moribund sub-sector is now one of the government's major areas of transformation. The administration of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan remains committed in restoring the railway lost glory and the days of glory are now here. In fact, it is important that Nigerians are regularly updated with current realities in the Nigerian Railway Corporation.

Passenger and freight services on the Lagos-Kano railway line covering a distance of 1,126 kilometers on the Western corridor has been put into operation since 22 December, 2012, moving not less than 2,500 passengers every week. Nigerians who travel long distances, now patronize the rail service and expressed the desire to see the Government sustain such a laudable effort, create more routes which will without doubt, bring about substantial reduction in road congestion associated with trailers and tankers using the roads. This, according to the people, would further ensure mass movement of goods and people in and around the country.

It is impressing to see that available statistics show that Lagos-Ibadan-Ilorin-Lagos is moving an average of 6,188 passengers a week, Minna-Kaduna-Minna moves an average of 3,450 passengers weekly and Kano-Nguru-Kano is moving an average of 850 passengers every week.

Also, Lagos Mass Transit Train is moving an average of 16,000 passengers everyday and Kaduna Intra city Mass Transit Train move an average of 10,000 passengers per day.

Furthermore, there is a steady movement of 1,500 tons, equivalent to 50 trailers' load of Cement for Lafarge Cement Plc from Ewekoro to Ibadan, Oshogbo, Ilorin, Minna and Kano every week. While 100,000 tons of laterite equivalent to 3,333 trailer load for Messrs SCC Nigeria Limited has been conveyed from Otukpo-Makurdi as well as weekly movement of petroleum products equivalent to 30 tankers from Lagos to Kano. It has been calculated that from 2011 to date, a total of 561,883 metric tons of cargo have been conveyed by rail.

In addition to the Power Sector, the successful resuscitation of the railway sub-sector is as a matter of fact considered by Nigerians as another parameter for measuring the success of the present administration and the extent it can go in delivering on its promises of transformation.

Sampson Ikemitang is of the Features Section of the National Press Centre, Federal Ministry of Information Headquarters.

 

Source: Reviving railways for sustainable socio-economic development.
Federal Ministry of Information (FMI) Nigeria

[Folami David]

Social-economic development is very important @ a time like this so I spupport wholeheartedly!
Great!