The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) says the Federal Government has begun reconstruction and rehabilitation of Eastern railway Corridor.
Mr Victor Adamu, the Railway District Manager, Eastern District, Enugu stated this while responding to national Survey conducted by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on abandonment of railway lines in the country, in Enugu on Wednesday.
Adamu said that the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the narrow gauge tracks had commenced from Port Harcourt to Aba, in Abia State.
According to him, the narrow gauge traversed the eastern district, from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri and other parts of Nigeria.
“This district covers Enugu, Abia, Ebonyi, Rivers and part of Egbede in Benue State, which is our boundary with the north central district of about 110 kilometers.
“I am very happy to state that the segment of the contract was handed over to NRC on Nov. 28, 2024.
“We have our coaches that are running from Port Harcourt to Aba and back to Port Harcourt, five days in a week,” he explained.
He acknowledged that there was suspension of work from Aba in Umuahia down to Enugu.
Adamu, however, said that the Federal Government is doing everything possible to ensure that the construction and rehabilitation on the remaining part of the contract commenced soonest.
The district manager explained that, through the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu, work on the narrow gauge had resumed.
“This is a project which the Southeast and other parts of the country will benefit from.
“The Federal Government is doing a lot to see that the rail lines are working again.
“Sometime in April, the Managing Director of NRC, Mr Kayode Opeifa, visited Enugu and we had some meaningful discussions with the governors of Abia and Enugu States.
“I believe that the visit will really bring out a lot of things that are going to happen on this corridor,’’ he said.
According toAdamu, there is a policy introduced by the Tinubu’s administration that allows state governments to invest in railway.
He disclosed that the Anambra, Abia and Enugu states government were ready to key into the policy.
“With this, I believe that very soon, we will start seeing the dividends from these policies,” Adamu said.
He, however, described the activities of vandals as the biggest challenge to NRC, especially as it concerned their track materials and other facilities.
According to him, in securing the railway infrastructure, NRC is working with the Nigeria Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), military and vigilant groups.
Adamu said that through the collaboration of the NRC, police, military and NSCDC, it made arrests of suspected vandals and some of them were already facing trials.
“There are some suspected vandals that were arrested in Imo, Rivers and Enugu states.
“We are doing these because these facilities are meant for Nigerians and we are expected to own them as Nigerians. This will go a long way in keeping them intact.
“Our officials are still going around to see that these facilities are protected,’’ the district manager said.
NAN reports that railway operations stopped in Enugu for over two decades.
