FG calls on Nigerians to protect railway infrastructure

image

ABDULKADIR M. LAWAN, SEPTEMBER 25, 2021, 04:21 PM


Federal Government of Nigeria has appealed to community leaders and civil society organizations to join hand in the fight against vandalisation of railway infrastructure across the country.

Rotimi Amaechi, minister of transportation made the appeal on Friday at the 2021 annual public lecture organised by the Department of Economics, University of Lagos, Akoka.

According to him, all the regions in the country would have been connected with rail transportation but for lack of sustainable funding plan, environmental issues, degenerated infrastructure, theft of railway materials and obsolete legal framework.

The minister added that, the railway project is affected by decline of requisite railway professionals, indiscriminate disposal of refuse of railway right of way by citizens among others.

Metro Times newspaper relating Mr. Amaechi's explanation reported that the federal government is leveraging alternative funding mechanisms to rehabilitate old rail lines and modernise the rail system in line with its 25-year strategy vision.

According to him, the federal government has recovered most of the failed locations on the narrow gauge corridor and also taking precautions in the environmental impact assessment report on the standard gauge corridors.

'He said that all the new railway projects contracts were embedded with rich technology transfer clauses, capacity building and Conversational Skills Rating, CSRs domestic appropriate knowledge and skill,' the paper said.

Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, Unilag Vice Chancellor in his remarks, also quoted by Metro Times, said that efficient transportation would provide access to business and competitiveness in the region.

'When transport systems are efficient, they provide economic and social opportunities and benefits that result in positive multiplier effects such as better accessibility to market, employment, and additional investment.

'Availability of railway also plays an important role in reducing regional disparities and improving the competitiveness of the region, by facilitating trade movement of labour, and economies of scale.

'In vast country like ours, where the population are not only scattered all over the country but are also separated by desert, forest, valley and mountains efficient, reliable and cheap means of transportation like modern railway network are essential,' the paper quoted Prof. Ogundipe explaining.

Photo credit: Google Images / Al Jazeera


Appeal for support


Conflict Reporting is dangerous and risky. Our reporters constantly face life-threatening challenges, sometimes surviving ambushes, kidnap attempts and attacks by the whiskers as they travel and go into communities to get authentic and firsthand information. But we dare it every day, nonetheless, in order to keep you informed of the true situation of the victims, the trends in the conflicts and ultimately help in peace building processes. But these come at huge cost to us. We are therefore appealing to you to help our cause by donating to us through any of the following means. You can also donate working tools, which are even more primary to our work. We thank you sincerely as you help our cause.

Alternatively, you can also email us on info@yen.ng or message us
via +234 803 931 7767