Excitement as NRC holds train tour for senior citizens – Newstrends
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Excitement as NRC holds train tour for senior citizens

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From left, Former Secretary of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, Mr Uduma Uduma; Dr Ngozi Nwosu, a former Medical Director of NRC; former Managing Director of the NRC, Mr Nathaniel Okoro, Director-General, National Senior Citizens Centre (NSCC) , Dr Emem Omokaro at Obafemi Awolowo Station, Omi Adio town, Ibadan, during the Business Class Train Ride Funfare... on Thursday.

Many elderly people were excited last week when the Nigerian Railway Corporation organised a special train ride for senior citizens to keep them fit and improve their lives.

They had the exciting fanfare in the business class of the just inaugurated standard gauge Lagos-Ibadan train and it was mainly attended by retired senior staff of the NRC on Thursday

Managing Director of the NRC, Fidet Okhiria, said this during a two-day bi-monthly management and senior staff meeting held at the corporation’s corporate headquarters, Ebute-Metta, Lagos.

He said the train tour was held in conjunction with the Nigeria Senior Citizen Centre (NSCC).

Okhiria spoke on the need for senior and management staff to network for the progress of the system, stressing that the Federal Government’s efforts towards transforming the entire railway system, through the modernisation project, must be sustained by the workers.

The NRC boss urged workers to be more proactive in the discharge of their official responsibilities.

He advised them to brace for the challenges of the modern rail transport industry.

One of the guests at the special train ride, pioneer Managing Director of the NRC, Nathaniel Okoro, said it was heartwarming to witness the transformation of the Nigerian railway and commended the Federal Government for the progress made in the standard gauge rail.

He said, “I am happy to see the success of the standard gauge railway project because I was invited by former President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2002 to draw a 25-year master plan for the development of standard gauge railway line in Nigeria.

“The report was submitted to Obasanjo in 2002 and after he left government, the report gathered dust. But we thank God that President Buhari-led administration resuscitated and implemented the project.”

Okoro, who just turned 90, advised his fellow senior citizens on need “to celebrate ourselves because we have made our contributions to the development of this country. I retired on a salary of N3,500 per month and that was the highest salary  then.”

He also said, “I urge Nigerians to learn and understand the history of Nigeria to enable them to appreciate the development that has taken place from the past so they can relate it to the present.

“I am persuaded that life is a wave, emotions build up eventually, reach a peak; and drift away. Worries, anxiety and fear come and go in a similar way. They don’t last forever even if they feel like they will,”

Director-General of the NSCC, Dr Emem Omokaro, while addressing the elderly citizens, said the centre was established to promote a fundamental positive change in perception, attitude and paradigm about aging and old age.

According to her, the centre promotes economic development opportunities in investing in enhanced capacities of senior citizens for the benefit of all and a cohesive community.

“The centre was set up principally to identify the needs of senior citizens and to cater for them in varied domains such as health and well-being, income, security, training and education, capacity enhancement, counselling and sports,” she said.

Omokaro said the centre would work diligently to ensure that a day is set aside in Nigeria to celebrate senior citizens.

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Niger State duscusses intracity railway to link Abuja with Chinese firm

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Niger State duscusses intracity railway to link Abuja with Chinese firm

Niger State Governor, Umaru Bago, has held a meeting with a delegation from the China Railway Corporation in Minna, the state capital.

Special Adviser to the Governor on Digital Communications, Abdullberqy Ebbo, disclosed this in a statement posted on his X handle on Tuesday.

According to Ebbo, during the meeting, they discussed working out a partnership to establish a railway network that would span the state’s three geopolitical zones as well as Abuja.

The statement read, “Niger State Governor, Umaru Bago, hosted a delegation from the China Railway Corporation in Minna, Niger State.

“The corporation, renowned for constructing China’s extensive railway network, discussed working out a partnership to establish a railway network across three geopolitical zones in the state and Abuja.

“The meeting also delved into potential collaborations in various sectors, including agriculture, housing, and the construction of airline hangars and the Cango terminal at Bola Tinubu International Airport Minna.

“With plans to solidify the partnership, the delegation is set to draft a Concept Note and a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a business relationship with the state.

“The ambitious project is anticipated to be funded through the China Exim Bank, marking a significant step towards improving transportation infrastructure and economic growth in Niger State.”

PUNCH reported in October 2023 that the Chinese government expressed its commitment to refinance and complete the Abuja-Kano and Port- Port-Harcourt-Maiduguri railway projects.

In February 2024, the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, also had a meeting with the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation in Beijing, China, to finalise plans on the state’s rail projects.

-The PUNCH

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Vandals destroy rail track in Kaduna community

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Vandals destroy rail track in Kaduna community

Vandals have destroyed a rail track at Chidunu village in the Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

The hoodlums taking advantage of high rate of insecurity in the area stormed the village and reportedly loaded their three trucks with track materials forcefully removed from the rail.

Public Relations Officer for the Northern District of the Nigeria Railway Corporation, Alhaji Abdullahi, in a statement on Monday, said two of the truck were stopped and impounded by security agents.

However, a Canter truck driver absconded with a portion of the stolen materials.

Some of the vandals were also apprehended by security operatives around the community.

Abdullahi highlighted the logistical challenges with the urgency to act before nightfall and the volatile nature of the area.

“It was difficult to arrange for logistics to evacuate track rails and sleepers before it got dark,” he said, emphasizing the collaborative efforts with local vigilantes and hunters to bolster surveillance along the affected railway stretch.

“We received a report on Sunday that the vandals were arrested during their illicit operation with two long trucks loaded with rail track materials,” Abdullahi said.

He added that the case has been handed over to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) for further investigation.

“The case is at present with the NSCDC, O.C. Anti-Vandal for further investigation,” Abdullahi stated.

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UK firm to build PH-Enugu-Abuja standard rail line – FG

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UK firm to build PH-Enugu-Abuja standard rail line – FG

The Federal Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Messrs MPH Rail Development Limited, a United Kingdom company for the construction of the Port Harcourt–Enugu–Calabar–Abuja Standard Gauge Rail Line.

The project when completed will be operated under a public-private partnership framework.

These details are contained in a statement issued by the Federal Ministry of Transportation and published on its website.

Under the MoU, the UK firm will manage the design, construction, commissioning, operation and eventually transfer to the Nigerian Railway Corporation.

The ministry stated that the MoU signing followed the approval of the Outline Business Case and the issuance of a compliance certificate by the Infrastructure, Concession, and Regulatory Commission.

This clearance allows Messrs MPH Rail Development (UK) Limited to focus on assembling the necessary documents for the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approval to proceed with the project.

Some of the essential documents for advancing this initiative are listed as a comprehensive feasibility study report, a full Business Case Study, an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment, the production of a Resettlement Action Plan, and the design of a Financial Model to implement the project.

This would ensure transfer of the line to the Federal Government under a PPP arrangement without incurring loans or debts for the Nigerian government or its agencies.

At the MoU signing ceremony, Alkali pledged the ministry’s support for the successful implementation of the project.

He emphasized the importance of diligent preparation and submission of all requisite documents to expedite FEC’s approval.

The statement read in part, “As part of the initiative to consolidate the ongoing railway modernisation projects consistent with the Renewed Hope Agenda of Presidential Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration, the Minister of Transportation, Senator Saidu Ahmed Alkali, has executed a Memorandum of Understanding on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Transportation with Messrs MPH Rail Development (UK) Limited to enable the company to carry out the design, construction, commissioning, operation and transfer of the Port Harcourt–Enugu–Calabar–Abuja Standard Gauge Rail Line on Public – Private Partnership basis.”

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