The Federal Government, through the Ministry of Transportation, has unveiled plans to improve the welfare and working conditions of Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) staff. The announcement came during a familiarization visit by the Minister of Transportation, Sa’idu Alkali, to the NRC’s Headquarters in Ebute-Meta, Lagos.
Minister Sa’idu Alkali emphasized his commitment to implementing the Presidential approval for an upward review of the special allowance for Nigerian railway workers. He stated that the purpose of his visit was to assess the Corporation’s performance in terms of managerial coordination, the implementation of existing rail infrastructure, and ongoing projects, particularly the Lagos-Ibadan and Kano-Maradi railway modernization.
The Minister assured the NRC’s Management of the Ministry’s support in fulfilling its statutory functions.
He also highlighted the importance of transportation in promoting economic growth globally and pledged to expedite the completion of the President Bola Tinubu Station Standard Gauge rail project. Furthermore, the Ministry aims to address the single-track for container transport from Lagos to Kano within three months and expand the operational scope of the Kajola Rail Wagon Assembly Plant.
The Managing Director of the NRC, Fidet Okhiria, congratulated Minister Alkali on his appointment and noted the challenges faced by the NRC, including security threats and infrastructure vandalism. He commended the efforts of security agencies in safeguarding NRC facilities and requested the Minister to use his legislative experience to advance railway modernization projects in the country.
