How train station changed our lives – Rigasa traders

Residents of  Rigasa, Igabi Local Government Area, where the Kaduna-Abuja train station is located are counting their gains two years since the start of its operations.

The residents and traders explained that since the opening of the station in the community their economic activities are booming daily.

Some of the ‎traders and commercial car operators, Keke NAPEP operators and car park operators interviewed expressed happiness because their income has improved.

The newly-elected Chairman of the Railway Station Marketers and Cooperative Society Nasiru Adamu said that business is booming at the station.

“I’m also a tricycle operator and I can tell you that we are happy with the siting of this train station in this community. Our people are happy including those who do not have  shops at the station markets.

“This  train brought lot of opportunities ‎to our people this is why we are saying the train is a blessing to Rigasa community and its residents because our business activities are booming more than before,” he said.

He appealed to his fellow businessmen to always respect their customers who are mostly travellers.

Haruna, a Rigasa resident and ticket collector, at the station’s car park, also agreed that business activities in the area have grown since the station opened.

“I was a commercial driver before the establishment of the station in this community but I was later out or business. But thank God I later got employed as a car park tickets collector in this station.

“I can tell you that we are very happy with the business here because daily hundreds of people bring their cars here to keep and they pay without problem. The only concern is that we are appealing to the operators of the train to employ Rigasa indigenes among their staff,’’ he said.

He said this would reduce the unemployment scourge bedeviling the community.

‎Yakubu Abubakar Kubarachi, who operates a shop, said there are about 100 people doing business at the station.

“We started doing business here just about two of us but now we have over 100 doing business here. So it’s a blessing to us and our family. We thank the government for its wisdom to set up the station here in Rigasa.

He said the station has also brought people of different religious background together.

“Another important benefit of the train station is the fact that it provided  opportunities for non-Muslims travellers to come to the community which is a Muslim dominated area‎ and mingle with us in this marke and we get to understand each other better.

“This is why we viewed the train as a big blessing to our people and community. Go round the market you will see every shop filled with customers because of the number of people coming to board the train to Abuja, “ he said.

He explained further that the marketers and other residents are doing everything possible to ensure the safety of travellers who pass through the station.