As the new minister of transportation, Adegboyega Oyetola settles down to resume duty, the federal government has been enjoined to reduce cost of passenger and freight train services in the country by 50% so as to ameliorate impact of fuel subsidy removal.
Proponents of the train fare reduction pointed out that in the wake diesel price increase last year management of Nigerian Railway Corporation, NRC in the first quarter of this year increased passenger/freight train fares on the narrow/standard gauge railway lines.
For instance, ticket cost per passenger on board Lagos mass transit train service from Kajola/Ijoko to Iddo terminus and back on the narrow gauge railway line was jerked-up from N460 to N700 while passenger ticket fares charged passengers on board standard gauge trains from Lagos to Ibsdsn, Abuja-Kaduns and Warri-Itakpe were increased astronomically.
According to a regular passenger on board Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge train, Mr. John Obot the cost of tickets on first and business class passenger coaches was increased to N9,000 and N6,000 respectively while that of adult and minor on board standard coaches was jerked-up to N3,600 and N3,000 respectively.
He also posited that passengers on board first class and business class from Lagos to Abeokuta were asked to pay N6,000 and N4,500 respectively while each adult and minor on board standard coaches paid N3,000 and N2,000 respectively.
Obot stated further the federal government should reduce the train fares by at least 50% so as to ameliorate the impact of fuel subsidy removal and by extension create more awareness and patronagebfor train service.
Corroborating, an importer Mr. Eric Umezurike, “ cost of transferring containers to the Inland Container Depots within Lagos and environ should be reduced so as to attack more customers and reduce congestion of trucks along the Apapa and Tin-Can Island port access roads.
He averred that the cost of road transport when compared to train service is insignificant thus making importers to prefer evacuating their consignments from the Lagos port by road.
BRIEFS
Robbers arrested for stealing rail accessories at Rigassa
The Nigerian railway police in collaboration with other security agencies recently arrested a gang of armed robbers specialized in stealing rail accessories at Rigassa in Kaduna state.
According to a statement signed by Mr. Paschal Nnorli, some track accessories ranging from nuts and clips were recovered from the robbers while there an ongoing man hurnt for the end users.
He enjoined the public to continue to give credible information to security agents so as to forestall activities of rail track vandals.
Nnorli decried the viral vedio clips on social media showing abandoned double rail line tracks along the Rigassa-Idu railway corridor saying, the Rigassa railway corridor has one single track and not double as shown in the vedio.
He explained further that it is only the Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge railway line that has double tracks.
Standard Gauge: NRC to start movement of containes by rail from Apapa port to Ibadan soon
The Nigerian Railway Corporation will soon start evacuation of imported cargoes through standard gauge railway line from Apapa port to designated inland container deports between Lagos and Ibadan for onward transfer to other parts of the country by road.
Railway district manager, Lagos, Engr. Augustine Arase who dropped this hint in Lagos during an interview with our Correspondent said that apart from evacuating consignments from Apapa, the corporation is expected to commence carriage of cement for Lafarge from Papalanto in Ogun state to Ibadan by rail.
He disclosed further that discussions have reached advanced stage between management of NRC and Lafarge for the corporation to commence carriage of cement for Lafarge from Papalanto to Moniya at Ibadan, Oyo state through standard gauge railway line.
Arase stated that containers destined for Agbara in Ogun state from Apapa have been designated for off loading at Kajola while containers destined for the eastern and northern parts of the country will be off loaded at Abeokuta and Ibadan depots respectively for loading into trucks.
BURNING SHANTIES: NRC seeks synergy, better methods to stop squatters from rail corridor
Following the fallout that greeted recent burning of shaties and makeshift shops along railway tracks at Fagba area of Lagos, the Nigerian Railway Corporation, NRC has posited that there is need for constant synergy between Lagos state police task force and Nigerian railway police on the best approach to adopt in dislodging squatters occupying these illegal structures.
This is coming just as some miscreants, in reaction to the burning of shanties by the Lagos state task force recently hauled stones at two Lagos mass transit trains on seperate return trips from Iddo to Ijoko/Kajola, at Fagba, (near abattoi) leaving some passengers seriously injured while others scampered for safety inside the coaches.
The Lagos district manager, of the corporation, Engr. Augustine Arase in an interview with DAILY SUN welcomed intervention of Lagos state police task force in dislodging squatters along the railway line at Fagba and environs but that there is need for synergy between the security agencies and NRC committee for proper guidance.
He explained further that using fire to burn shanties and makeshift structures near railway tracks is danderous because it weakens the tarpet valves, clips and bolts/nuts used to tighten the concrete sleepers and could affect train operation.
According to the district manager, Nigerian railway police commissioner is presently in consultation with his Lagos state counterpart on a better approach that could be adoptef to dislodge llegal squatters but certainly not through burning shanties.
Regarding stones thrown at passengers inside coaches during transit onboard t Lagos mass transit trains by miscreants whose built up shanties were burnt by the task force, Arase said that the Iju-Agege corridor where the act was carried out will be monitored by security operatives to ensure the unruly attitude of the squatters does not continue.
“We cherish our passengers and their safety is paramount. We cannot fold our hands and continue to condone the unruly attitude of throwing stones at them. The railway police and task force will synergize and ensure activities of the illegal squatters are niped in the bud”, he said.
Still on the burning of shanties build along railway tracks, an official of Lagos State Metropolitan Transport Authority, LAMATA who preferred anonymity said during on the spot visit to Oyingbo-Autor railway corridor recentlly that the burning of shanties that took place at Fagba will soon be replicated at Oyingbo
He stated that this is to acquire enough space for construction of a parking depot for fueling of Locomotive engines as well as repair and maintenance of coaches and Locomotives.
He told representatives of Landlords Community Development Association in the area that government is poised to commence the standard gauge passenger train operation this year and that adequate fund has been provided for China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation to complete the project within a stipulated period of three years.
Recall that the burning exercise kicked off between Fagba and Agege penultimate weekend led by chairman Lagos state task force, CSP Shola Jejeloye, after expiration of eviction notice communicated to squaters of the illegal structures on June 20, this year.
The chairman had during the burning exercise st Fagba decried state of decadence brought about by the illegal squatters through their activities.
He warnied that the clearing exercise is scheduled to take placw in phases from Fagba through Agege to Oyingbo and terminates at Autorr bus stop in Ebute-Metta.
“The plan of the state government to completely reclaim the portion of roads and spaces near railway trscks occupied by squatters is non-negotiable. The enforcement takes place first, followed by monitoring and then sustenance. We will ensure these sites are monitored till they are fully occupied and put to good use by the state government”, the chairman declared.
He attributed some of the criminal activities in Fagba/Agege axis to some miscreants who make use of shanties by the rail way tracks as a hideout to perpetuate crime.
A resident of Fsgba where the clearing exercise was carried out by the Lagos state task force, Mrs Nkiru Obiangeli expressed delight that government carried out the clearing of illegal structures and all sorts of criminal activities ranging from pick pocketing to stealing and armed robbery were usually perpetuated by the squatters.
She however decried the burning of shanties and throwing of teargas approach adopted by men of the task force saying, “The whole of Fagba and its environs was filled with thick smoke emanating from the burnt shanties with associated health hazard”.