Passengers on Ogun/Lagos mass transit train services now use nose and mouth masks to prevent infectious diseases they may inhale through dust from the windowless coaches.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the situation poses health hazard to passengers in the ever crowded train.

NAN reports that sellers of the masks are making brisk business at the corporation’s stations, selling the items at either three for N50 or one for N20.

The passengers told NAN on Tuesday in Lagos that the situation was even worse during the rainy season as the passengers were beaten by rain in the coaches.

They urged the Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, to direct the management of the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) to provide window glasses.

According to them, they are deeply worried by the age-long abnormalities in the corporation and are urging the government to prioritise the transformation of the rail transport system.

A passenger, Lawrence Akiotu, said that almost all the coaches the corporation used for its mass transit services had no glasses on their windows.

Akiotu said that situation had left the passengers exposed to dust during dry season and rain in the rainy season.

According to him, the dry period has further compounded the situation, infecting them with catarrh and cough as dust accumulated in the coaches.

A nursing mother, Mrs Kudirat Ajasa, who covered her herself and her little son with heavy cloth to prevent dust, said that passengers would face a worse situation during the rainy season.

“This is equally the situation we experience during the rainy season as we are usually drenched by the rain in the coaches. So, there is no jolly ride in the train.

“For this dry season, it is dust all through. When you get down you need to blow your nose, brush dust off your cloth and clean your face also,’’ Ajasa said.

A trader at Oshodi market, Mr Muraina Ololajulo, said he had been joining the train for over 20 years but that the corporation had failed to improve on its awful services.

“The new administration should sanitise the rail system because it will enable Nigerians to reap the benefits of railway transport.

“In fact, railway should have been the solution to Nigeria’s chaotic traffic situation but the management of the corporation has failed to develop the system.

“Apart from the dust and the rain, the coaches are dirty and dark with damaged seats,’’ Ololajulo said.

A banker, Mr Ikemefuna Udom, said that the management no longer kept to time schedule, making office workers to seek alternative means.

“Before, there used to be 5 a.m. train at Ijoko, Ogun but now shifted to 6 a.m. since the introduction of the Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU)) system.

“This has forced office workers that are supposed to be in the office by 7.30 a.m. to go for road transport.

“Also, passengers are treated like slaves, both the management and the staff lack simple respect for their passengers.

“The passengers are increasing daily but the management has failed to improve on its services in tandem with the number of passengers.

“Obviously, the management has no statistics of its daily passengers and without statistics, there can never be proper planning,’’ Udom said.

The Railway District Manager (RDM), Mr Akin Osinowo, however, told NAN that there was an ongoing refurbishment of all the coaches in batches.

“We cannot just withdraw all the coaches for repairs at once because this will affect our operations and services to our customers,’’ Osinowo said.

The passengers, however, decried the so-called refurbishment, saying for how long would they continue be covered with dust in the coaches.