No impediments to economic activities on Lagos-Kaduna Rail-Manager

The Railway District Manager, Northern District, Zaria,Mr Ismail Adebiyi, says there is no blockage or impediment on Lagos-Kaduna rail line that might affect its operations.

Adebiyi said on Sunday in Zaria, that the track was also not an impediment to activities at the Kaduna Dry Port.
He said that there was nothing wrong with freight trains which addressed the issue of accessibility from Lagos to Kaduna, adding that the dry port was also accessible by rail.
Adebiyi announced that the Nigeria Railway Corporation was ready to carry containers and other goods for the dry port as he called on stakeholders to take advantage of the opportunity.

He was Commenting on the derailment of a freight wagon conveying pipes for Zaria water project in Kaduna on May 1.

Adebiyi said the Corporation had addressed the challenge within three days.
He added that during the recovery exercise an operation crane capsised, a challenge that was quickly addressed by the Corporation.
“The derailment exercise was finished within three days from the day of the accident. Since then, we have had about three freight trains from Lagos to Zaria and we did not record any accident.
“Accidents can happen due to either human error or technical grounds, most of the challenges are addressed and the line is free.”

Adebiyi said the Corporation had reached out to key stakeholders on Kaduna Dry Port on the need to return their empty containers and other goods, lamenting that efforts did not yield positive result.

“Sometimes ago when the first pipe freight came to Zaria from Lagos, we approached AK Muller in Kano on whether they had empty containers for delivery to Lagos.

“They (AK Muller) said they had some issues to clear and up till now we have not heard from them.
“For every train that comes to Zaria, the wagons returned empty. There are times I put pressure on the dry pot manager in Kaduna and we did not get a positive response,” Adebiyi said.

He noted that one of the arguments of the dry port was for the Corporation to carry their containers at Lagos before they get containers from either Kaduna or Kano.
“The dry port ought to have perfected this arrangement with Corporation headquarters in Lagos.”

NAN/HAUwa Abu