Mohammed Haruna Yusuf & Ibrahim Khalil Aminu
15 October 2008
In the light of efforts made by successive administrations to revamp rail transportation in Nigeria, the people are very doubtful as current policies and frameworks have not yielded results. On this account, civil servants and other stakeholders in Abuja and other states, believe that rail transport system is more of a myth than reality.
In the words of President Yar'adua, "the transport sector will be modernised through the rehabilitation and modernisation of the railway system and other forms of transport in the country."
The big question is, can this project be actualized today in Nigeria? Nonetheless, Abuja residents spared nothing as they spoke to Daily Trust on the socio-economic importance of railway transportation.
Sanusi Namaibindiga, a civil servant, said that "the current state of rail transport in Nigeria is a shameful development to the country. Take for instance, the agricultural sector. Farmers used to transport their products using the railway, but now they cannot.
He said that roads do not last because they are over burdened. Unless the railway is revived, the FG should forget about achieving and actualizing its 7 point-agenda", pointing out that any meaningful impact cannot be recorded in the transport sector without reviving the railway.
Aliyu Kuchi, another civil servant, said that the railway needs to be developed and links should connect many states of the country, adding that a major emphasis be given to the rural communities which will benefit the farmers.
Mohammed Sani said that the Lagos -Kano and Port Harcourt -Maiduguri railway lines which are narrow guage, single track and diesel engine network, with a maximum speed of about 50km/h, are out-modded and obsolete thus putting a serious strain on Nigeria's inadequate road networks.
Barrister Kasimu Baura, Kebbi State PDP Chairman explained that transportation system should be overhauled, particularly the railway. He added that the movement of goods from one place to another requires a lot of money "I have been into transport business for long and I know what it takes.
Honestly, Nigeria cannot move ahead without redesigning and developing the railway system because it facilitates free flow and movement of goods in volumes from the north to the south and other parts. "Agricultural produce are moved to the south and on the other hand, industrial goods are being transported to the north".
As the most important and effective means of land transportation, the railway plays an un- substitutable role in the socio -economic development of all economic power. Recently, the railway has been one of the greatest catalysts to sustainable economic development. In Great Britain, the United States of America, Germany, France, Canada and Russia, the railway is playing a decisive role in the robust development of the respective national economies and it is expected to be the same in Nigeria.
While responding to the railway project, the Minister of Transportation, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, said that the Federal Government has invited investors from the Peoples Republic of China to invest in the railways, roads, aviation and maritime infrastructure and other businesses in Nigeria.
She disclosed this when she received a delegation of officials and businessmen from the Peoples Republic of China led by the country's Vice-Minister for Commerce, Mr. Chen Jian.
Said she, "I am very glad to say that we are currently rescoping it into some much more pragmatic proposal so that at the end of the day, both the Government of Nigeria and the CCECC, see a very prudent output, one which will give value for money to the Nigerian consumer and showcase both the work of the CCECC and the long and medium term plans of the Federal Government in the railway sector.
She postulated that the project will kick-off within the next four months or thereabout. At the same time, "while we look to expand our alliance on railways and the road transportation sector as well, we already have a great collaboration with a number of Chinese companies in areas of road construction and rehabilitation and we are very pleased with the quality and performance of their work in the past and expect more in the future".
"The Government is now embarking on a number of pilot projects to construct and rehabilitate major roads in the country. The ministry will also advertise for interested parties to pre-qualify on a number of major trunk 'A' roads under the Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) method of business investment. "We shall advertise for some of our most commercially viable trunk 'A' roads and expressroads in this country. The Lagos - Badagry expressway, the Benin - Ore - Shagamu expressway, the Abuja - Kaduna - Kano expressway are all included.
"In terms of aviation and sea transport, the ministry will welcome proposals and we are looking very critically on possible ways to bring in the private sector into aviation, sea ports and maritime sector during this dispensation"
Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke noted that infrastructure development and transportation are key areas in government's agenda for accelerated national development by President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua.
Addressing the Minister and officials of the Federal Ministry of Transportation, the Chinese Vice Minister of Commerce, Mr. Chen Jian, said the purpose for his visit to Nigeria were to review the implementation of the eight measures proposed by the Chinese during the Beijing Summit of the African - China Cooperation Forum and to jointly discuss with Nigerian colleagues on how to expand and deepen the bilateral economic and trade co-operations between both countries.
He recalled that cooperation between Nigeria and China has been going very well in different sectors, particularly in the transportation and railway sector where collaboration has expanded progressively. He said they were willing and ready to deepen relationships in the areas of construction particularly in railways, development of human capacity and technology transfer stating China's readiness to expand cooperation beyond the railways and road construction to aviation, sea and maritime transportation. He called for the strengthening of cooperation fora through fairs and exhibitions between the two countries, as well as links between financial institutions in both countries to facilitate cooperation between their various enterprises and to protect and improve the environment for investments in both countries.
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