We’re ready for cargo train services to Kano, says NRC MD
Agency Report
The Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation Dr Kayode Opeifa has declared that the Western district is ready for cargo train movement between Lagos and Kano on the narrow and gauge.
Opeifa made this known at Dugbe, the Ibadan Narrow Gauge Train Station after inspecting Moniya Freight Park, in Ibadan, Oyo State, during the tour of operations on the Western Line, as part of his inspection tour of all districts which commenced last Friday.
He said: “The essence of this tour is to enable us to access our readiness to handle the cargo side of our business as business and logistics facilitator. We are happy with the extent of what we have seen and we can comfortably say we are ready to move any manner of cargo for any of our customers.”
Opeifa had commenced the tour from the Mobolaji Johnson Train Station at Ebute Metta, where he inspected the facilities available for passengers’ convenience.
At his next stop at Omi Adio, Opeifa inspected the facility being put in place to establish another cargo park at Omi Adio. He directed the acquisition of more land around the proposed dry port area to provide for anticipated business the dry port would be processing when the business finally comes on stream.
Opeifa was joined on the inspection at the Ladoke Akintola Train Station, Omi Adio, by the Director General of Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN Commission) Dr. Seye Oyeleye, who expressed the readiness to work with the Corporation to reactivate the narrow gauges within some of the states in the Southwest for mass transportation.
The inspection took Opeifa and his management team to the Obafemi Awolowo Train Station, Moniya and the Moniya Cargo Park, where he inspected the readiness of the port to facilitate cargo business.
He also inspected the Western District Headquarters at Dugbe, Ibadan, where he charged the workers to double their effort and improve the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the railway.
“I can approve an improvement in your allowances once we improve our IGR. So let us be committed to doubling our efforts,” he said.
Opeifa said the management is determined to recommence cargo commitment from Lagos to Kano, even as he said he would be at Ibadan to flag off the Dugbe end of the movement once the service begins.
He also commended all railway women, urging them to continue to prove their mettle in keeping the wheel of the rail going.
Addressing the welfare of pensioners, Opeifa assured that the corporation will continue to work at improving their welfare.
“I don’t need to be told, I can feel so many things and I can only assure you that the management will continue to work at improving your living conditions,” he said.
He reiterated his call for vandals to stop sabotaging the Corporation’s effort at improving its services.
“Let me emphasize again that there are no scraps in the Nigerian Railway Corporation. All we have are rail materials. All our materials are in serviceable conditions. From here we are moving cement from Ewekoro to Osogbo and to Ilorin.
All these wagons you see, all these rail sleepers, all these irons are still working and all security operatives have been directed to arrest and prosecute anyone caught vandalising our property. No one is permitted to carry our materials. No letter of approval is sufficient to allow anyone to do so, security operatives should put a call across to us to enable us authenticate such activity,” he said.
