TheNewsGuru

Tag: NRC

  • Railway corporation to reduce number of trips on Abuja-Kaduna route

    Railway corporation to reduce number of trips on Abuja-Kaduna route

    The Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) announced on Sunday that it would reduce the number of trips on the Abuja-Kaduna route from Oct.19 – Oct.21.

    Its Managing Director, Fidet Okhiria, said in a statement that the reduction in the number of trips was to effect scheduled maintenance.

    He stated that rather than the daily 10 trips, there would be four trips only on Oct. 19 and on Oct. 20.

    He added that on Thursday, Oct. 21, there would be eight trips.

    “Full train services will resume on Friday, Oct. 22,’’ Okhiria assured.

    The NRC management apologised for inconveniences the reduction in the number of trips might cause to passengers.

    The NRC introduced an additional Diesel Multiple Unit on the route recently which increased the number of train trips from eight to 10 per day.

  • Why we increased fares for Warri-Itakpe train service – FG

    Why we increased fares for Warri-Itakpe train service – FG

    The federal government (FG), while asking for understanding, has explained why it recently increased fares for the Warri-Itakpe Train Service (WITS).

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the explanation is coming on the heels of a report published by this medium in which users of the WITS expressed grave displeasure in using the train service.

    Users of the train service had lamented the recent increase in the cost of using the WITS and analysed it against the inconveniences that come along with using the service.

    Recall that the management of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) in August hiked the cost of travelling along the WITS routes.

    Findings by TNG reveals that the cost of train from Itakpe to Ujevwu in Warri, which started at N1,900.00 has been increased to N2200, and more recently to N3,000.00.

    TNG reports NRC hike in fare also affected passengers who usually travelled from Itakpe to Uromi at the cost of N1050 but now being made to cough out N1600.

    While fares for other stops within the route were also affected, the FG has explained that the increase in fares is due to the cost of running the rail.

    Dr Magdalene Ajani, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation, who gave the explanation on Friday, assured that with time, the fares will come down.

    Responding to complaints by some passengers as she was inspecting facilities at Agenebode rail station in Edo State, Dr Ajani appealed to users of the WITS to bear with the government, saying the projects were procured through loans.

    She said that the government was not running to make any gain but to maintain the facilities and pay back the loans.

    “I am assuring you that with time, things will come down, the increase in fares is due to the cost of running the rail.

    ”Government will address all these challenges, which is the aim of this inspection to ensure passengers are comfortable,” she said.

    Meanwhile, Mr Kingsley John, a passenger, who appreciated the FG for its efforts to revamp the rail sector, appealed to the government to ensure the sustainability of the projects across the country.

    Another passenger Mrs Elizabeth Mathew, said she was worried over the sudden increase in the fare from N1,000, which was paid before to N2,000 and N3,000, from Kogi to Delta.

    “It is worrisome on the sudden increase in the transport fare, I want government to please consider that the rail initiative is meant to ease transportation fare for Nigerians,” she said.

    Earlier, one aggrieved passenger, Mrs Ijeoma Okonkwo, a nursing mother, had compared the rising cost and inconveniences of using the WITS to travelling with God is Good (GIG) motors, and said passengers might be forced to revert to road transport or other means to travel to Warri if the challenges were not addressed.

    “With the recent increase in train fare, if NRC continues to increase fare, gradually the Warri-Itakpe Train Service will start to lose customers and by extension, revenue. This is why.

    “God is Good to Warri from Utako, Abuja is N12,000.00 or thereabout. Meanwhile, transporters are taking advantage of the patronage to increase the fare to get to Itakpe so much that to get to Itakpe before you board the train is now about N4,000.00.

    “The train fare has been increased to N5,000.00 for first class (FC) and N3,000.00 for standard class (SC); add the inconveniences of getting to Itakpe from Abuja, while you can just conveniently get to Utako to board GIG.

    “In addition, granted the WITS now operates a double schedule, there is no way passengers can meet up with the 8 am schedule travelling from Abuja. This means travelling at 2:45 pm, passengers get to Warri late, when they can get to Warri earlier using GIG. Not to add the inconveniences and cost of leaving Agbarho or Ujevwu to PTI Junction or Effurun Roundabout.

    “More also, returning to Abuja from Warri, transporters at Itakpe have increased fare from there to Jabi. Sometimes, you pay as high as N4,000.00 to get to Jabi. The increase in fare by NRC and transporters will degrade the use of the WITS.

    “For the WITS to continue to stay relevant, the government must put one and two together before ever considering increasing fare for the WITS.

    “Also, the government should consider linking the WITS to the federal capital territory (FCT) to remove the inconveniences of having to travel to Itakpe before using this service.

    “If not, the WITS will start to lose passengers and by extension, revenue,” Mrs Okonkwo said.

    TNG reports Ajani was accompanied during the inspection tour by a team of officials from the Ministry of Transportation.

    The team visited other rail stations, including Agbor in Delta, Igbanke, Ekenhe, Uromi, Itogbo in Edo and Itakpe and Ajaokuta stations in Kogi.

    Some of the challenges at some rail stations included lack of boreholes to supply water, lack of office furniture, electricity, lack of chairs for the passengers and no permanent police post, among others.

  • Tunde Kelani slams NRC over poor service at Yaba train station

    Tunde Kelani slams NRC over poor service at Yaba train station

    Veteran Nigerian filmmaker, Tunde Kelani, has condemned the Nigerian Railway Corporation over its poor service today, especially as the nation marks its 61st independence anniversary.

    Kelani via his Instagram page complained about the negligence of the workers of the NRC at the Yaba Station. He said that despite the fact that today is a public holiday, the Yaba station should have envisaged a high amount of customers, the officials of the NRC did not resume work till about 6:45 am.

    In an extensive post via his page, the award winning filmmaker wrote, “Nigerian Railway Corporation gets it wrong. The NRC operating the new SGR could have been more efficient this morning at the Yaba terminal with advance planning. On a National holiday, October 1, the high turnout of passengers could have been anticipated and an appropriate operational plan put in place.

    “At 6 am, when long queues have been formed, no staff of NRC has arrived! The doors of the ticketing office remained shut. More passengers were arriving at 6:45 when the door was finally thrown open with NRC staff struggling to manage the ensuing chaos. ‘Abeokuta this way’, ‘Ibadan that way only resulted in a stampede to get to the front of the line. Inside the ticket office, there was more confusion – ‘Abeokuta standard that line, Abeokuta business class this line – Ibadan business class is another line and Ibadan standard class is the other line. Finding out too late, reports, no first-class service on this train.

    “Another queue has developed to get to the cubicle. No POS payment, you have to provide cash, counted one by one, by the ticket salesperson. A dozen biro or ballpoints scribbling on tiny tickets with proof of identity etc.

    “Frankly, I think China’s CCECC has delivered or will deliver when the project is complete and handed over. But is NRC is ready? The new system cannot be allowed to run as an extension of the old NRC. Should China take over the commercial management or should it be contracted to Nigerian firms who can deliver efficient and enjoyable service? This morning, the EBJ/Yaba terminal of Mobolaji Johnson Station was no better than the Oshodi or any of our township motor parks. SHAME!”

     

  • Why we may stop using Warri-Itakpe train service – Travellers

    Why we may stop using Warri-Itakpe train service – Travellers

    Hundreds of passengers who travel with the Warri-Itakpe Train Service (WITS) have expressed displeasure in using the train service and said they might be forced to stop using the service.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the travellers lamented the recent increase in cost of using the WITS and analysed the inconveniences of using the service against the rising cost of using the service.

    Recall that the management of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) in August hiked the cost of travelling along the WITS routes.

    Findings by TNG reveals that the cost of train from Itakpe to Ujevwu in Warri, which started at N1,900.00 has been increased to N2200, and more recently to N3,000.00.

    Passengers, who travel to Warri, compared the rising cost and inconveniences of using the WITS to travelling with God is Good (GIG) motors, and said they might be forced to revert to road transport or other means to travel to Warri.

    One of the aggrieved passengers, Mrs Ijeoma Okonkwo, a nursing mother, who spoke with a TNG reporter aboard the train, expressed her view and that of many other passengers.

    “With the recent increase in train fare, if NRC continues to increase fare, gradually the Warri-Itakpe Train Service will start to lose customers and by extension, revenue. This is why.

    “God is Good to Warri from Utako, Abuja is N12,000.00 or thereabout. Meanwhile, transporters are taking advantage of the patronage to increase the fare to get to Itakpe so much that to get to Itakpe before you board the train is now about N4,000.00.

    “The train fare has been increased to N5,000.00 for first class (FC) and N3,000.00 for standard class (SC); add the inconveniences of getting to Itakpe from Abuja, while you can just conveniently get to Utako to board GIG.

    “In addition, granted the WITS now operates a double schedule, there is no way passengers can meet up with the 8 am schedule travelling from Abuja. This means travelling at 2:45 pm, passengers get to Warri late, when they can get to Warri earlier using GIG. Not to add the inconveniences and cost of leaving Agbarho or Ujevwu to PTI Junction or Effurun Roundabout.

    “More also, returning to Abuja from Warri, transporters at Itakpe have increased fare from there to Jabi. Sometimes, you pay as high as N4,000.00 to get to Jabi. The increase in fare by NRC and transporters will degrade the use of the WITS.

    “For the WITS to continue to stay relevant, the government must put one and two together before ever considering increasing fare for the WITS.

    “Also, the government should consider linking the WITS to the federal capital territory (FCT) to remove the inconveniences of having to travel to Itakpe before using this service.

    “If not, the WITS will start to lose passengers and by extension, revenue,” Mrs Okonkwo said.

    TNG reports NRC hike in fare also affected passengers who usually travelled from Itakpe to Uromi at the cost of N1050 but now being made to cough out N1600. Other stops within the route were also affected.

    Meanwhile, the NRC had said the rail sector of the transportation industry generates an average of N327 million monthly.

    The Managing Director of NRC, Fidet Okhiria, who made this known, said the WITS, which began commercial operations on October 9, 2020 generates an average of N45 million.

    Okhiria said the Abuja-Kaduna route generates an average of N265 million, while the Lagos-Ibadan generates N17 million.

    The Itakpe-Ajaokuta-Warri runs from the southern oil hub of Warri near the Atlantic coast northwards into the major iron ore producing region in Kogi.

    The single-track project, built by the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation, was commissioned by President Muhammadu Buhari alongside the ancillary facilities yard at the recently named Goodluck Jonathan Railway Complex in Agbor, Delta.

  • Nigerian Railway Corporation announces more train routes

    Nigerian Railway Corporation announces more train routes

    The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has announced the date to resume operation of the Lagos State to Kano State train service, and other routes.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the Regional District Manager, Northern District of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Mr Ismail Adebiyi made the announcement on Sunday.

    According to the NRC Manager, the Lagos-Kano train service will go into operation from Friday, Aug. 13.

    He made this known in Zaria, Kaduna State, saying the train would leave Lagos on Friday evening and arrive in Kano on Sunday morning.

    Adebiyi said also that the corporation had concluded plans to restart the Kaduna to Kafanchan and Kaduna to Kano train service before the end of August.

    He added that it would rehabilitate 100 wagons to further strengthen the rail sector within the next two months.

    He explained that 21 of the rehabilitated wagons would be used in the northern district of the rail service comprising Kaduna, Kano, Jigawa, Yobe, Katsina and Zamfara states.

    He said the Kano to Nguru (Yobe State) train service was still active and that plans were at advanced stage to enhance the traffic on the route by returning coaches that were dropped because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    The regional district manager said the Minna-Kaduna rail mass transit had also been active for the past one month and that patronage was increasing on every trip. The service runs on Sundays, Mondays and Thursdays.

    The train leaves Minna at 7 a.m. and leaves Kaduna at about 2.30 p.m.

    He added that since most of the routes were on narrow gauge, the corporation would strengthen its maintenance work to ensure hitch-free operations

    Adebiyi stressed that the corporation had strengthened its collaboration with key security agencies and other relevant stakeholders to address vandalism on Railway properties.

    He commended the Federal Government for boosting rail service and enjoined Nigerians to take advantage of the new posture.

  • Railways generate N327m monthly – NRC MD

    Railways generate N327m monthly – NRC MD

    The rail sector of the transportation industry generates an average of N327 million monthly, Managing Director of Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC), Fidet Okhiria has said.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the NRC Managing Director made this known in Abuja on Thursday.

    Okhiria said the Abuja-Kaduna route generated an average of N265 million; Lagos-Ibadan, N17 million; while Warri-Itakpe generated N45 million.

    The standard gauge Lagos-Ibadan route was inaugurated for commercial activities on June 21, 2020. It covers 157 kilometres.

    The 326km Itakpe-Ajaokuta-Warri began operations on Oct. 9, 2020. It runs from the southern oil hub of Warri near the Atlantic coast northwards into the major iron ore producing region in Kogi.

    The single-track project, built by the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation, was commissioned by President Muhammadu Buhari alongside the ancillary facilities yard at the recently named Goodluck Jonathan Railway Complex in Agbor, Delta.

    The Lagos-Ibadan train service conveys passengers, while the Warri-Itakpe route is for freight haulage.

    Okhiria said with the introduction of an additional Diesel Multiple Unit, the corporation had increased the number of train trips between Abuja and Kaduna from eight to 10 per day.

    He added that for Wednesdays, trips on that route had been increased from four to six.

    He expressed confidence that this would go a long way to accommodate the increasing number of passengers.

  • Itakpe-Warri railway line is in operation – Official

    Itakpe-Warri railway line is in operation – Official

    An official of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has said the Itakpe-Warri rail line is in operation.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the official who asked not to be named made this known on the telephone on Thursday.

    The official confirmed that some unknown persons vandalized a section of the Itakpe-Warri rail line.

    However, the NRC official said the line vandalized was not the line currently used to service the Itakpe-Warri route.

    Recall that a trending video emerged online showing the Itakpe-Warri rail line that is putting smiles in the faces of Southern Nigeria travelers already sabotaged by hoodlums.

    Meanwhile, the NRC official told TNG that the Itakpe-Warri rail line is in full operation despite the ugly development.

    “We are working. Even now, we are at the office. The tracks at some sections were vandalized, but it has not affected our operations. It is on our line but not the line that we are using,” the official said.

    TNG reports the Itakpe-Warri rail line, which started operations in 2019, was revamped by the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.

  • Lagos-Ogun mass transit trains resume soon – NRC

    Lagos-Ogun mass transit trains resume soon – NRC

    The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) on Thursday said that the Lagos-Ogun Mass Transit Train Services (MTTS) would resume very soon.

    The Lagos Railway District Manager, Mr Jerry Oche, made this disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

    “We are looking at resuming MTTS very soon.

    “We are putting finishing touches to the coaches and tracks. Essential staff have also been advised to resume,” Oche said.

    According to him, there is, however, no fixed date yet for resumption of the train service, which is well patronised by commuters.

    Oche said that the corporation was working round the clock to see how it could adhere strictly to COVID-19 preventive protocols and maintain social distancing in the coaches when the operations resumed.

    He said that coaches of the mass transit trains service were being worked upon to accommodate the possibility for social distancing.

    Recall that the NRC announced the suspension of the Lagos-Ogun MTTS on March 25, as a measure to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the state and the country.

    Though the MTTS has yet to resume, the corporation has been operating freight services from Apapa Port to Alagomeji terminals in Yaba as well as to Ijoko terminal in Ogun.

    Meanwhile, the corporation has said that it would commence skeletal operations on the Lagos-Ibadan Standard Guage Rail line from the middle of September, with 16 trips daily.

  • NRC clears air on alleged attack on Abuja-Kaduna train

    NRC clears air on alleged attack on Abuja-Kaduna train

    The Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) Engr Fidet Okhiria has denied any attack on Thursday morning, on the Abuja-Kaduna train by armed men suspected to be kidnappers.

    Recall that there has been reports of armed men suspected to be kidnappers attacking the Abuja bound train with guns and other projectiles on Thursday (today) morning.

    The train, which left the Rigassa train station in Kaduna at around 10 am was reportedly attacked a few kilometers to Katari, about 70 kilometres to Abuja.

    However, the DG in a short message debunking the attacksaid: “This news was not correct.”

    Okhiria said he had been inundated with calls since the news went viral on the social media. Quoting Police sources, Okhiria said what happened was that a stone was thrown at the train by some boys, which according to him only affected the window glass of coach SP4.

    He further stated that the situation was promptly arrested by police escorts on the train who restored calm before the train continued its journey and passengers disembarked peacefully at the Idu Station in Abuja without any other incident.

    Ohiria assures train passengers of their safety even as he said investigation still continues into the cause of the Katari incident with a view to dousing the fears of the commuting public who have come to see the train as very good, reliable and safer alternative for commuting between Abuja and Kaduna as the Police continues their onslaught to dislodge the road of kidnappers who have turned the Abuja-Kaduna road into a nightmare for travelers.

    “We are assuring train passengers of their safety. The trains remain the safest and cheapest alternative to the road mode,” Okhiria further stated.

  • Gunmen abduct NRC MD’s wife

    A woman identified as Francisca Okhiria, wife of the Managing Director of Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Fidet Okhiria, was abducted on Wednesday by suspected gunmen in Benin, the Edo State capital.

    The gunmen, who were in police uniform, were said to have trailed her from the airport and abducted her on the way to her house.

    It was learnt that the hoodlums, in escaping with the victim, shot a soldier who was standing by the road side.

    Police spokesperson Chidi Nwabuzor, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), confirmed the incident last night.

    He said an Army Sergeant attached to the woman was also shot, adding that he was taken to the military hospital for treatment.

    Nwabuzor said the woman was held at Irhirhi at an NNPC filling station in Oredo Local Government Area.

    “It is confirmed that she was kidnapped and the police recovered the vehicle, a Land Cruiser Prado jeep, when the incident took place.

    “The Army sergeant shot by the hoodlums was with her as a security personnel and eventually taken to the military hospital by the police. The gunmen came in a Toyota Camry,” he said.

    He said investigation into the incident had begun.

    Contacted on phone last night, Okhiria was said to be unavailable.

    One of his aides answered the call, saying the NRC chief was not around to speak with our correpondent.

    When asked to confirm the incident, the aide said: “We have no comment for now.”