Friday, 30 September 2022

NRC develops Train Track Access Framework to encourage PPP

 


NRC develops Train Track Access Framework to encourage PPP


The Managing Director, Nigerian Railway Corporation, NRC,  Fidet Okhiria, said that the management of the corporation has developed a Train Track Access Framework to encourage Public-Private Partnership (PPP).


Okhiria said this during a press briefing held at the NRC’s Headquarters in Ebute Metta, Lagos.


He said  the establishment of Train Track Access Framework would enable third parties to use the track.


Okhiria said the framework would increase private sector participation and also increase the usage of the trackers.


He noted that Train Track Access Framework would also improve interstate business and passengers would pay lesser amount for carriage of goods from one point to another.


“We have tendered the Train Track Access Framework to the Board of NRC during our last meeting and we hope that the framework will be approved at the next board meeting.


“We have set up a team to work with the Lagos State Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) to enable them operate successfully.


“LAMATA had just received wagons for the Red line and hopefully they will start operation before the first quarter of 2023,” Okhiria said.


Okhiria said that efforts were being made by the Federal Government to adequately secure trains’ passengers nationwide as well as to address other industry issues.


He said the incident of March 28, 2022 impacted not just on the Abuja-Kaduna route but on all the train services nationwide as efforts were being made to secure the release of other passengers.


The NRC boss said that diesel price had skyrocketed and being a service provider for the benefit of Nigerians, the corporation could not just increase its fares.


“We were already doing 10 trips per day on the Abuja-Kaduna and thought that by now, it would have increased to 12, six to and six fro; so that people can properly schedule their movement using the train.


“Regrettably, due to inactivity on the Abuja-Kaduna train which was caused by the last terrorist attack, we have recorded a shortfall of N531 million on the Abuja-Kaduna route from March to August 2022.


While explaining the movement of cargoes from the ports via the standard gauge rail, the Managing Director said that the movement of cargoes with the Lagos-Ibadan train would commence in November 2022..


He said that the NRC management had met with some maritime stakeholders, including APM Terminals and ENL Consortium, to ensure that freight runs on the standard gauge from both terminals to Papalanto and Abeokuta before November.


The NRC boss said that they were also working hard in ensuring that the access roads and freight yards were properly put in place so that the equipment for rolling stocks would be provided.