- NRC said state governments including Anambra and Enugu are keying into Tinubu’s railway investment policy.
- Vandalism of rail infrastructure remains a major obstacle, with suspects arrested in Imo, Rivers, and Enugu states.
The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) says the Federal Government has resumed work on the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the Eastern Railway Corridor.
The railway district manager for the eastern district, Victor Adamu, said this in Enugu on Wednesday, during a national survey conducted by the NAN.
Adamu stated that the reconstruction of the narrow gauge track had already commenced from Port Harcourt to Aba, in Abia State.
According to him, the eastern corridor connects Port Harcourt to Maiduguri and other regions, cutting across multiple states.
“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 kilometres,” he said.
“I am very happy to state that the segment of the contract was handed over to NRC on November 28, 2024.”
He disclosed that NRC coaches currently operate five days a week between Port Harcourt and Aba.
He confirmed that work had been suspended on the stretch between Aba in Umuahia and Enugu.
Adamu assured that the Federal Government was working to ensure resumption of construction along the affected section.
He explained that the project had been reactivated under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.
“This is a project that the Southeast and other parts of the country will benefit from,” he said.
“The Federal Government is doing a lot to see that the rail lines are working again.”
He said the managing director of NRC, Kayode Opeifa, visited Enugu in April for talks with the governors of Abia and Enugu states.
“I believe that the visit will really bring out a lot of things that are going to happen on this corridor,” he added.
He also disclosed that the Tinubu-led government had introduced a policy allowing state governments to invest in railway infrastructure.
According to him, Anambra, Abia, and Enugu states had indicated interest in taking part in the policy.
“With this, I believe that very soon, we will start seeing the dividends from these policies,” he said.
Adamu, however, described vandalism as the biggest challenge facing the NRC in the region.
He said track materials and other facilities were frequently targeted by vandals.
According to him, the NRC is collaborating with the Nigeria Police, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, the military and local vigilante groups.
He said these efforts had led to several arrests of suspected vandals.
“There are some suspected vandals that were arrested in Imo, Rivers, and Enugu states,” he said.
“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 said NRC officials were still patrolling to ensure that the railway assets were secured.
NAN reports that rail operations in Enugu had been inactive for over two decades.