The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) announced the launch of a PPP Train Track Access Framework, which he says will boost carriage use and reduce prices, and also increase interstate economic collaboration, through the involvement of enabling third parties to use the track.
This was disclosed by its MD, Fidet Okhiria, during a press briefing held at the NRC’s Headquarters in Ebute Metta, Lagos on Wednesday.
He stated that the NRC has also 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”.
What he said:
Fidet Okhiria described that the establishment of the Train Track Access Framework would enable third parties to use the track, by increasing private sector participation and also increasing the usage of the tracks.
He also noted that Track Access Framework would also improve interstate business and passengers would pay a 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.
He noted that the Abuja-Kaduna terrorist train attack, impacted all its routes, and it is also planning on boosting surveillance technology.
He added that despite increased diesel prices having skyrocketed and being a service provider for the benefit of Nigerians, the corporation could not just increase its fares.
In case you missed it
Nairametrics reported last week that the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) says that it has recommended an increase in ticket fares for the Lagos-Ibadan route to the Federal Government due to challenges in the procurement of diesel and the rising cost of operations.
The corporation said that a hike in fares is outside its control and as such would require authorization from the Federal Ministry of Transportation.
