Government targets 30 months to complete Lagos to Port Harcourt rail line

Minister orders authority to stop passengers hanging on train

The Federal Government yesterday pledged to complete the Lagos to Port Harcourt railway line within two and half years.

Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, who stated this at the First Lagos Traffic Radio Lecture Series held in Lagos yesterday, said as far as mass transportation is concerned, there is evidence to show that inadequacy in transport infrastructure and services has contributed significantly to the prevalence of poverty across various Nigerian communities in both urban and rural areas.

According to the ministers, “The process of migrating workforce and people who commute from one location or one area to another for the purpose of engaging in employment is still very difficult in the country, but the present government is making frantic effort to make transportation easy in the country.”

He explained that as families migrate from one location to another, due to employment purposes, they are compelled to move with children, who require transportation to attend schools and where transportation is lacking, the level of distress for the working parents and children becomes increased.

Amaechi also frowned at the situation where passengers hang on moving trains, especially in Lagos, urging the authority to immediately partner with security agencies to stop the act.

“It is the responsibility of the government to protect lives of its citizenry and it will be better to allow passengers who cannot afford the transport fare to sit in the train than for them to lose their lives.