Buhari reappoints Okhiria as MD of Nigerian railway

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the reappointment of Fidet Edentalen Okhiria as managing director of the Nigeria Railway Coporation (NRC).

He was first appointed managing director of the corporation in October 2016 and has since then been piloting the affairs of the firm.

As NRC MD, Okhiria is overseeing the transformation of the railway. He initiated the engineering designs; moved new locomotives delivered at Apapa port to Zaria, Enugu and Abuja to keep the plan on course.

Under the current administration and supervision of the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, the government has constructed new railways, replaced antiquated tracks and acquired new and up-to-date coaches and locomotives.

Okhiria, an engineer, from Iruekpen Ekpoma in Edo State, started his journey with the NRC as a pupil engineer and rose to the position of Director Mechanical/Electrical/Signal and Telecommunication.

He attended Ujeolen Primary School from 1967 to 1972 and Ujeolen Grammar School 1973 to 1977 both in Ekpoma, Edo state.

He holds a Bachelor of Science degree (BSc Electrical Engineering) from University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos.

He did his National Youth Service (NYSC) programme at the then National Electrical Power Authority (NEPA) from 1985 to 1986.

From 1992 to 1996, he was District Mechanical/Electrical Engineer, and later Chief Mechanical Electrical Engineer from 1996 to 1999.

Okhiria became Assistant Director (C/W) between 1999 and 2001; Manager, Romania project from 2001 to 2003 and District Manager (LD) from 2003 to June 2006.

He became the Director, Mechanical/Electrical from June 200 to June 2011.

Okhiria is a fellow of Nigerian Institute of Mechanical Engineering, (NIME), chartered member, Institute of Logistics and Transport (MILT), member, Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), member Institute of Directors (IOD), member Institute of Strategic Management (ISM) and member, Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM).