Port Harcourt and Aba erupted in jubilation as the Minister of Transportation, Senator Said Ahmed Alkali, reaffirmed the Tinubu administration’s commitment to alleviating the suffering of Nigerians through its Renewed Hope Agenda.
At the flagging-off ceremony of the Port Harcourt-Aba train service, held at the Port Harcourt Railway Station, the minister declared that the federal government would prioritize rail transportation, recognizing it as “the backbone of economic and social development.”
Residents of Rivers and Abia States, particularly traders and artisans, expressed their delight, stating that they had witnessed the tangible benefits of democracy.
Senator Alkali announced that the next phase of the project would include opening the Aba-Enugu line and connecting the Port Harcourt and Onne ports to the rail network to enhance commercial activities.
The Managing Director of the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC), Fidet Okhiria, announced that passengers would initially be transported free of charge for a week. The service would initially operate once daily, increasing to two batches per day after a month.
Okhiria assured Nigerians of NRC’s commitment to improving service delivery, revealing that new coaches and locomotives would soon be acquired from China. He emphasized that rail projects would proceed simultaneously upon government funding.
Passenger train services had ceased in the eastern narrow gauge in April 2022, but the appointment of Senator Alkali as Transportation Minister has reignited the hopes of the people.
The minister, accompanied by the Permanent Secretary, Directors, and other government officials, rode the train from Port Harcourt to Aba to fulfill the government’s pledge to resume operations in the corridor. CONTINUE READING
Leave a Reply