By Obiabin Onukwugha
Managing Director of Nigerian Railway Corporation, NRC, Fidet Okhiria, has said that train services for Port-Harcourt-Aba and as well Lagos to Kano for both passengers and freight will commence in the first quarter of 2024.
This is coming as traders who do business between Port Harcourt and Aba have continued to anticipate the resumption of the train services.
Earlier checks by NatureNews revealed that the reconstruction of the Eastern Railway Corridor, which is being executed by the Chinese Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC) Ltd., has covered a substantial part within the Port Harcourt and Aba metropolis.
However, further checks revealed that the project is yet to cover places like Oyigbo, Kom Kom and the forests, linking the both cities.
The Port Harcourt-Aba train services was a major source of transport for traders between the two cities before it was suspended for reconstruction about three years ago, as it is offered cheaper and faster services.
Before now, traders only paid N200 to and from Port Harcourt to Aba, compared to N1,000, charged by motorists. It was also gathered that incidents of robbery was at check due to high security, which also made it safer for those involved in bulk trade.
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The route also helped eased transportation for those travelling to the east through Aba during festive and holiday periods.
With motorists, currently charging N2,000 after the fuel subsidy removal, the traders and commuters who interacted with this reporter say the commencement of the train services will help ease their means of doing business and increase their profit margin.
However, Okhiria who spoke in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Lagos, on Monday said the corporation will also begin six train trips daily on the Standard Gauge Train across board in 2024.
He said that the train services cannot operate for 24 hours as originally designed due to insecurity.
“We are going to increase number of train trips to six on Lagos-Ibadan, Warri-Itakpe and Abuja-Kaduna, which means the trips will be three times to and three times fro, making six trips in a day.
“The trips will commence before the second quarter of 2024. Right now, they are running four trips, two up and two down across board.
Mr Okhiria commended government efforts in connecting rail across the country and urged Nigerians to develop interest in rail transportation.
It would be recalled that the Minister of Transportation, Sen. Saidu Alkali, had in September last year, expressed disappointment over the slow pace of work on the reconstruction of the Eastern Railway Corridor by the Chinese Civil Engineering Construction Company, as train services was expected to commence early this year.
