FG mulls 100% freight movement by rail

The management of the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) has said it will ensure the smooth movement of goods by rail across the country.

 The managing director of the corporation, Dr Kayode Opeifa, disclosed this during an inspection tour of properties managed by the Railway Property Management Company Limited yesterday in Kaduna.

Opeifa, who also doubles as the Board Chairman of RPMCL, said the drive of NRC, is part of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu’s administration aimed at boosting businesses that would impact the nation’s economy.

Opeifa said, “Nigeria Railway Corporation under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu is determined to achieve 100 per cent smooth movement of goods both along the narrow gauge and the standard gauge.

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“We are already assembling wagons at Kajola in Oyo State so that wagons will no longer be an issue and the government is equally looking into the issues of rolling stocks as well.

“We are committed to ensuring that the movement of goods from say Lagos to Kaduna Dry Port is achieved somewhere at the beginning of the second quarter.

 “We are also determined just, like we promised Niger Foods and the Niger Government, that we will do everything possible to get cargo from Niger, Mokwa, Jebba, and wherever their inland dry port is situated.”

He noted that the corporation is also committed to ensuring that people from Kaduna and Kano can move goods, particularly for exports.

He said the benefits of the partnership with the Kaduna Dry Port and also all other state governments and private entities would, amongst others; protect tracks from vandals, reduce the cost of goods in the market, improve the standard of living of the people, reduce inflation and improve means of doing business.

The Managing Director of Inland Containers Nigeria Limited, operators of Kaduna Inland Dry Port, Mr Omotayo Dada, expressed satisfaction with the visit by the NRC boss, adding that, “With the discussions we have had, I am optimistic that before the year runs out, productivity would even increase by about 70 per cent. As such, we look forward to a new and fantastic disposition.”