Niger partners NRC to improve rail transport

Niger State government has renewed commitment to partner with the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) to improve rail transportation and reduce movement of trucks on the roads.

Governor Abubakar Bello stated this yesterday when he led some dignitaries from the state to the NRC Headquarters in Lagos. Bello said the visit was to see how Niger would partner with NRC to decongest the roads.

His words: “This is the second time I will be visiting the NRC headquarters to establish relationship and to improve rail transportation of cargo movement as well as passengers within the state.

“We are here to partner with NRC because we have various unmotorable areas in Niger, and, thankfully, we have a train track.”
According to him, farmers find it difficult to transport their produce.

“I believe that once we are able to provide access to their farm, it will make them improve their goods at a cheaper cost. The second objective of our visit is to encourage the use of railways, to reduce pressure on our roads.

“Now we have trucks carrying more than 30 to 90 tonnes. No road in Nigeria can survive that,” Bello said. He said that before now, most of the cargoes being imported were transported by rail, adding that there is no reason not to replicate cargo movement by train.

Bello noted that the railway transportation between Minna and Kaduna had started operation, adding that there was need to improve on frequency and purchase additional coaches to improve rail transportation in the state.