NUR lauds Buhari’s victory, seeks effective rail transport system

WORKERS of Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) have congratulated General Muhammadu Buhari (Rtd) on his emergence as winner in the presidential elections of March 28th, 2015.

Speaking through the leadership of their union, Nigeria Union of Railway (NUR), the workers congratulated General Buhari and tasked him on the need for his new administration to address the fate of the rail transport industry with a view to furthering the on-going asset rehabilitation and modernization of the industry.

The President General of the NUR, Raphael B. Okoro said he was hopeful that Nigerian Railway development would take a new and improved turn under the administration of Gen. Buhari.

A statement issued by the association’s Secretary General, ‘Segun Esan quoted Okoro as saying “Considering his unbending patriotism and quest for national development, I am confident and hopeful that Nigerian Railway will fair considerably better under the administration of Buhari.

What it takes to take Nigeria to higher level of national development and stronger integration is a functional and effective rail transport system.  I strongly believe that what determines the extent a country like Nigeria can go in terms of development is its commitment to attaining rail infrastructural proficiency”.

Okoro, however, tasked the President-elect to come to the aid of Nigerian Railway workers who he described as workers most poorly remunerated.

“Over the years, the federal government has spent several billions of naira on the asset rehabilitation and re-equipping of Nigerian Railway without any impact on the welfare of the workers. The workers who put all these multi-billion equipment to use still grope in poor remuneration and welfare”.

He said Railway workers’ welfare and remuneration should be of great concern to the president-elect so as to attract skilled and employable Nigerians to the industry and eventually make railway the highest employer of labour it used to be in its hey days.