Nigeria Railway Corporation to receive 200 locomotives by December – Minister

The Minister of Transport, Idris Umar, on
Friday said that the Nigeria Railway
Corporation, NRC, would receive
additional 200 wagons by December to
boost transportation in the country.
Mr. Umar said this while flagging-off and
inaugurating four new locomotives and
two telescopic cranes at the Apapa Port,
Lagos.
The Minister, who was represented by
Kawu Baraje, the corporation’s Board
Chairman, said that the NRC was set to
reclaim its lost glory as a catalyst for
development in Nigeria.
He said that the corporation would
collaborate with the customs and other
security agents in order to ensure efficient
business activities at the port.
Mr. Baraje, in his remarks, said that the
completion of the rehabilitation of the
Western line had made it possible for the
corporation to introduce freight and
passenger trains’ service.
“About one month ago, weekly Lagos-
Kano intercity passenger train service was
introduced to increase the number of
services already provided. Today the
corporation is flagging-off a container
train service from Lagos to Kaduna and
Kano. It is also inaugurating two newly
acquired telescopic cranes and four
1800HP locomotive engines,” Mr. Baraje
said.
The Managing Director of the corporation,
Adeseyi Sijuwade, recalled that container
train services in Nigeria were suspended
17 years ago due to poor infrastructure.
Mr. Sijuwade said that the acquisition of
the facilities was part of Federal
Government’s efforts to sustain the drive
to transform the nation’s socio-economic
development.
He said that the four locomotives were
known as class 23 locomotives in the
fleet of locomotives.
“The four new locomotives to be
inaugurated are self loaded with on-board
computer, double drivers’ panel, and fully
air-conditioned cabins. The engine in
each of the locomotives is Caterpillar’s
1800 model 3512B engine with capability
of a design speed of 100kmph,” Mr.
Sijuwade said.
He said that the NRC was now better
equipped to deal with emergencies, with
the two new 100 tons railway cranes.
In his solidarity speech, Comptroller of
Customs at the port, Charles Edike, said
that the inauguration of the container
traffic train would help to stop the
activities of miscreant at the port as well
as enhance transaction of goods and
services.
“An agent does not have to carry his
papers to clear at the police, customs or
NAFDAC. Any person can do his
classification and business clearance
through the portal in the computer. Except
there is a mistake that is when the custom
or any of the security agencies will look
for that person,” Mr. Edike said.
He added that any goods that are
prohibited would not be logged into the
system because the computer will not
allow that