The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has announced that the Federal Government has begun the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the Eastern railway corridor.
Mr. Victor Adamu, the Railway District Manager for the Eastern District in Enugu, shared this exciting update yesterday, Wednesday, while responding to a national survey by the News Agency of Nigeria concerning abandoned railway lines. Adamu confirmed that work on the narrow gauge tracks has already started, beginning from Port Harcourt, Rivers State, and extending to Aba, in Abia State.
He explained that this crucial narrow gauge line stretches across the entire eastern district, running “from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri, Borno State and other parts of Nigeria.” Adamu detailed the scope of his district, stating, “This district covers Enugu, Abia, Ebonyi, Rivers and part of Egbede in Benue State, which is our boundary with the north central district of about 110 kilometers.”
Expressing his satisfaction, Adamu said, “I am very happy to state that the segment of the contract was handed over to NRC on Nov. 28, 2024.” He also highlighted current operations: “We have our coaches that are running from Port Harcourt to Aba and back to Port Harcourt, five days in a week.”
While acknowledging a temporary “suspension of work from Aba in Umuahia down to Enugu,” Adamu assured that the Federal Government is “doing everything possible to ensure that the construction and rehabilitation on the remaining part of the contract commence soon.”
He attributed the resumption of work on the narrow gauge to President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, emphasising that “This is a project that the Southeast and other parts of the country will benefit from.” He added, “The Federal Government is doing a lot to see that the rail lines are working again.”
Adamu recalled a significant meeting in April: “Sometime in April, the Managing Director of NRC, Mr Kayode Opeifa, visited Enugu and we had some meaningful discussions with the governors of Abia and Enugu States.” He believes that “the visit will really bring out a lot of things that are going to happen on this corridor.”
A new policy introduced by the Tinubu administration now allows state governments to invest in railways. Adamu revealed that Anambra, Abia, and Enugu state governments are all ready to embrace this policy. “With this, I believe that very soon, we will start seeing the dividends from these policies,” he stated optimistically.
However, Adamu pointed to vandalism as the biggest challenge facing the NRC, particularly concerning “track materials and other facilities.” To combat this, the NRC is collaborating with the Nigeria Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the military, and vigilante groups to secure railway infrastructure. He confirmed that through these joint efforts, “There are some suspected vandals who were arrested in Imo, Rivers and Enugu states,” and some are already facing trial.
Adamu stressed the importance of public ownership, saying, “We are doing these because these facilities are meant for Nigerians, and we are expected to own them as Nigerians. This will go a long way in keeping them intact.” He concluded by stating, “Our officials are still going around to see that these facilities are protected.”
It’s worth noting that railway operations in Enugu had been suspended for over two decades before these recent developments.