*Raises alarm over persistent vandalism
By; MATTHEW UKACHUNWA, Lagos
As the year 2023 ends, Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has raised alarm over recurring vandalization of its infrastructure as it struggles to complete works on deadline before the year 2023 runs out.
“The only issue we have now is vandalization of the track which is a big problem. It’s a big problem that once we replace them, they (vandals) come back to attack them,” Engr. Fidet Okhiria, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer (MD/CEO) of Nigerian Railway Corporation said on Thursday at an interactive session with journalists in his office in Lagos.
Okhiria cited a case in point which is the frequency of vandalization that occurs in Mushin, Lagos State.
He said, “Just before the Christmas there was vandalization and 200 clips were replaced. Three days after the same spot was vandalised. So, we are looking for a way to protect that place. Yesterday, we held a management meeting, and may be we have to engage a special person to guide that spot between Mushin and Oshodi,” he stressed on Thursday.
The NRC chief said that the corporation is trying to recommence Lagos-Kano project in order to fulfill the directive of the minister.
“You remember, during the maiden visit of the minister he gave us an assignment to ensure that we are able to run between Lagos and Kano by December, so we’re working on it inhouse, and our men are trying their best to ensure we achieve that,” the NRC leader emphasized.
Okhiria pointed out that a locomotive and some wagons have been able to arrive Minna successfully as at Thursday, adding that maybe by the following day it would get to Kaduna.
“We have also moved from Kano to Kaduna,” he disclosed, noting that security challenge is the matter.
He hoped that the corporation’s workers will complete the track between Minna and Kaduna in the next five days. “Hopefully, luck being on our side, by January we will start skeletal service trying the track to see how it can go while we continue to put security in place,” he stated while pointing out that some vandalized slippers were replaced the day before.
The Port Harcourt to Maidugri reconstruction project is on and the contractor has promised that it will be ready in 10 days time, the NRC chief executive officer disclosed.
While emphasizing that vandalization of Nigerian Railway infrastructure is a serious problem, Okhiria reemphasized his solution: “As I said in one of my media briefings, I think we should look inwards and check the so-called iron companies that are manufacturing iron, that go after the iron, and encouraging and patronizing people who go about stealing tracks.”
He advised iron manufacturers to endeavour to get their raw materials from appropriate sources.
