Minister laments inadequate manpower slowing down Lagos-Ibadan rail project – Newstrends
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Minister laments inadequate manpower slowing down Lagos-Ibadan rail project

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Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has said the sharp drop in manpower of the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation attached to Nigerian railway projects due to COVID-19 is slowing down the pace of work on the new Lagos-Ibadan rail line.
He, however, expressed optimism that the project would be ready in record time, especially for the end of the year trips.
Amaechi spoke with journalists at Moniya Railway Station, Ibadan, during a routine inspection tour of the new rail line that took off from Ebute Meta Railway Complex, Lagos.
The minister was accompanied by the Ben Akabueze, Director General Budget Office of the Federation; Managing Director, Nigerian Railway Corporation, Fidet Okhiria; Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Transportation, Dr Magdalene Ajani, among others.
The minister said he had advised the contractor handling the project, CCECC, to hire more workers and ensure they follow all safety protocols for coronavirus for adequate protection.
It was learnt that not some of the Chinese working on the project that travelled back to China before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic had not returned to the country.
It was also learnt that the 10,000 contract workers handling different aspects of the project before the pandemic had been cut down to about 3,000.
Amaechi said, “We’ve told the contractors on the Lagos-Ibadan rail project to engage more workers across all stations for prompt completion.”
He added that a Nigerian team would meet with the CCECC managers on Tuesday to discuss measures to accelerate work on the project.
“On all other projects, including Ibadan-Kano, due to the slow pace of work on the Lagos -Ibadan, we have said that we will not commence work on any other contract until we have a comprehensive programme of work so that we see when you start, when you finish and the facilities that you need,” Amaechi said.
The minister debunked a report that his ministry was seeking over $650 million loan to complete ongoing work on the Lagos-Ibadan and Warri-Itakpe rail lines, noting that the funds sought for the projects had long been approved.
“I read somewhere that we are looking for additional $650 million for the expansion works on the Lagos-Ibadan and Itakpe-Warri corridors. This is not true.

“We said we would be needing $1.6 billion and that was long ago. The money has since been approved. It is not as if we are looking for additional funds for these projects. It is important that I clarify that.”
The minister also visited the signal control building for the new line being constructed in Lagos, apart from railway stations between Lagos and Ibadan to assess the level of work done.

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NRC increases trips on Abuja-Kaduna route from four to six 

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NRC increases trips on Abuja-Kaduna route from four to six 

 

The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has announced an increase in the number of trains on its Abuja-Kaduna Train Service (AKTS) route in response to rising demand based on its customer feedback.

A statement signed by the NRC Deputy Director of Public Relations, Yakub Mahmood, on Wednesday, said the number of trains had been increased to six from four, running Monday to Friday during peak periods.

This development, it added, aimed to enhance customer satisfaction by making commuting more convenient and accessible on the route as well as tackling complaints of ticket racketeering.

The statement quoted the acting Managing Director of the NRC, Ben Iloanusi, as saying that a five-month trend analysis revealed a 22 per cent increase in new passengers registering on the ticketing platform for the Abuja-Kaduna route.

The surge, he said, showed a growing preference among Nigerians for train travel as a comfortable, reliable, and safe commuting option.

The statement read, “The Nigerian Railway Corporation, reaffirming its commitment to responding to customer demands, improving customer satisfaction, and tackling complaints of ticket racketeering, has increased the number of train services from four to six from Monday to Friday when demand tends to peak on its AKTS route.”

The NRC also noted that similar trends had been observed on the Lagos-Ibadan, Warri-Itakpe, and Port Harcourt-Aba routes, with efforts already underway to enhance services along these routes as well.

The acting MD assured Nigerians of the increased presence of NRC senior management across all train service routes to drive continuous efficiency and tackle the issue of ticket racketeering head-on.

“Our valued customers are encouraged to use NRC ticket platforms online to take advantage of the increased services and avoid patronising ticket racketeers.

“Additional information can be obtained from the NRC website, www.nrc.gov.ng,” it stated.

The expanded services on the Abuja-Kaduna route, it said, followed similar enhancements on the Lagos-Ibadan route, which now includes additional trips on Fridays and Saturdays to accommodate increasing demand.

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Nigerian railway adds extra train to Friday, Saturday trips on Lagos-Ibadan route

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Nigerian railway adds extra train to Friday, Saturday trips on Lagos-Ibadan route

The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has announced the introduction of additional train trips on its Lagos-Ibadan Train Service (LITS) route, exclusively for Fridays and Saturdays.

This initiative increases weekend trips from two to three, offering commuters greater travel flexibility.

The announcement, made via the NRC’s official X (formerly Twitter) handle on Tuesday, revealed that the new Lagos-to-Ibadan trip will depart at 1:40 pm, complementing the existing schedules of 7:45 am and 4:00 pm.

For the Ibadan-to-Lagos route, the additional trip is set for 10:50 am, joining the regular departures at 8:00 am and 4:30 pm.

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“Catch our extra Friday & Saturday train trips on LAGOS – IBADAN TRAIN SERVICE (LITS). 

“LAGOS to IBADAN: 

“•⁠Times: 7:45am, 1:40pm, 4:00pm 

“IBADAN to LAGOS: 

“•⁠Times: 8:00am, 10:50am, 4:30pm,” NRC’s tweet read in part.

This tweet by the Nigerian Railway Corporation further noted that the new schedule complements the existing Sunday-to-Thursday trips, which remain unchanged with departure times at 8:00 am and 4:00 pm from both Lagos and Ibadan.

This move by the NRC to expand the schedule is aimed at accommodating increased demand, particularly during weekends, and providing greater flexibility for commuters traveling between Lagos and Ibadan.

The move is expected to ease travel pressures and improve convenience for passengers on one of Nigeria’s busiest rail routes.

Travelers are encouraged to take advantage of the additional services and book tickets early via the e-ticketing website. to secure their spots, especially as the Lagos-Ibadan rail route continues to grow in popularity.

Nigerian railway adds extra train to Friday, Saturday trips on Lagos-Ibadan route

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Nigeria gets $350m AfDB facility for Kano-Maradi rail project

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Nigeria gets $350m AfDB facility for Kano-Maradi rail project

The Federal Government of Nigeria has secured $350 million from the African Development Bank (AfDB) to fund the construction of the Kano-Maradi rail project, which will connect Kano to Maradi in Niger Republic.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Land Transport, Senator Adamu Aliero, made this disclosure on Monday during an oversight visit to the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) headquarters in Lagos, as reported by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

Aliero stated that the Kano-Maradi rail project is part of the government’s broader efforts to modernize Nigeria’s railway network and enhance regional trade links.

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“The Chairman, Senate Committee on Land Transport, Sen. Adamu Aliero,  says the African Development Bank has released $350 million to the Federal Government for construction of a rail line from Kano to Maradi,” the NAN report read in part.

He also highlighted that President Bola Tinubu’s recent visit to China focused on finalizing negotiations for 85% of the financing needed to upgrade and rehabilitate the nation’s rail infrastructure.

Aliero disclosed that the supplementary budget recently passed by the National Assembly allocated over N530 billion as counterpart funding for these modernization efforts. The remaining 85% of the funds will be sourced from institutions such as China Exim Bank, the International Finance Corporation, and AfDB.

Nigeria gets $350m AfDB facility for Kano-Maradi rail project

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