The Federal Government announced on Saturday that the Port Harcourt to Aba train service would begin by the end of March.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that this is part of the larger Port Harcourt-Maiduguri rail project that President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration initiated.
Mr Fidet Okhiria, the Managing Director of Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC), made this known in Port Harcourt after leading a team to test the reconstruction of the Eastern Narrow Gauge Rail Line.
He said the workers were finalising the tracks to ensure that the train service could start within the month.
“I was impressed by what I saw today, especially riding the locomotive and waggon on the tracks.
“The last time we came, we could not use the train because the contractor said it was unsafe to run on the train due to the imbalance of the tracks.
“The Minister of Transportation, Mu’azu Sambo, has instructed that the Port Harcourt route be linked to rail and also initiate the connection of Onne Port,” he said.
Okhiria was confident that the contractor would finish the ‘tampering’ of the rail line within two weeks, before the planned three weeks for the train service to start.
“We are urging the contractor to make the track safe by using semi-automatic signalling of the machine points instead of manual operation.
“Despite the resource challenges, the contractors are doing their best, and our aim is to achieve this within the next two weeks.
“With this, we hope to start passenger train service, hopefully within March, and fully resume moving people from Port Harcourt to Aba by the end of March,” he assured.
The managing director said the project design team had begun designing a rail track to link the Port Harcourt-Aba rail line to the Onne seaport.
He said NRC had started working with the port’s terminal manager and leading engineers to ensure a smooth project delivery.
“The initial design has been done and given to us. We look at it, make corrections, and seek approval. Once approved, work will start,” he added.
Regarding transport fares, Okhiria said that due to the current high cost of diesel, commuters might have to pay more than what they used to.
He said if NRC could not cover 100 per cent fuel costs, the corporation would try to generate at least 50 per cent from passengers to sustain operations.
“Also, we will evaluate the conditions of the roads with the aim to cover at least 50 per cent of the road costs.
“The government is working with relevant security agencies to ensure enough security of the rail line and the connection of security devices from the trains to the control room.
“Communities should protect what the government is providing for us. We are working to ensure that people who come on the train are safe,” he said.
Okhiria warned traders against doing business on the rail lines, as the trains would not slow down for them to clear their goods before passing.
He said that the trains were set to run according to fixed times across all rail lines in the country.
