Sen. Olubiyi Urges FG To Rescue Nigeria’s Rail Project From Collapse | READ MORE
The senator representing Osun Central, Olubiyi Fadeyi Oluwole has urged the Federal Government to rescue Nigeria’s Rail Project from Collapse.
He made this call on Wednesday during the plenary session while leading his debate titled:Urgent Need to Rescue Nigeria’s Rail Project from Collapse.
Oluwole noted that the fuel subsidy removal has affected a lot of Nigerians and revamping the railway system will be a good way to help the Nation
The lawmaker noted that the Railways infrastructure in Nigeria which dates back to the 19th century when the first railroad was
constructed in 1898 under British colonial rule before the Amalgamation of 1914 is now relegated.
He said “The Nigeria Railway Modernisation Project is meant to deliver the dividends of democracy to millions of Nigerians and the management of Nigeria rail projects is duty bound to deliver value for money.
“Nigeria possesses a well-established rail infrastructure, including a rail line from Abuja to Kaduna, Lagos to Ibadan and a light rail system connecting Abuja city center to Abuja airport; yet alarming information in the public domain reveals that Railway-related debt service cost the Federal Government $62.66 million in the first quarter of this year 2023.
“ In 2021, the former Minister of Transportation claimed that the Abuja-Kaduna train service was generating at least N300 million naira for the country every month.
“While in another report, Nigeria Rail Corporation claimed it has lost over N531 million in estimated ticket revenue on the Abuja- Kaduna Standard Gauge Train service in five months.
“Recently, the Nigeria Railway Corporation claimed that it lost N113 million to the shutdown of the Abuja-Kaduna route which started operations again after the bandits attack on the route and that is not the only rail route that is currently under attacks by criminals. They have different figures which need to be investigated.
“The attacks on trains conveying passengers and rail infrastructure is taking a toll on Nigeria’s rail sector, which has recorded a decline of 125.6 percent in passenger movement in the second quarter of 2022, the National Bureau of Statistics’ Rail Transportation data has shown” he said
In adopting the motion, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio said the motion is of importance because it will help in cushioning effect of the fuel subsidy removal.
An additional prayer was also raised by Sen Victor Umeh, who pointed out the need for the federal government to look into revamping and reactivating the Eastern railway network which have been abandoned for so long.
