Nigerian govt to hand over train services to private sector

The Federal Government has said it will hand over train services hitherto managed by the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) to the private sector to engender efficiency and effectiveness in the running of the services.

This was disclosed in a statement issued on Friday by the Minister of Transport, Muazu Sambo.

Sambo insisted that train service in Abuja-Kaduna line would resume after 24 hours surveillance and immediate response apparatus had been put in place to forestall any future attack.

“The NRC cannot be the owner, operator and regulator at the same time. The private sector is the engine of growth. Let someone else operate your lines efficiently," he added

On resumption of the Abuja-Kaduna train services, the minister said that commercial operations would resume after security measures were installed to forestall reoccurrence of train attacks in the country.

“We are looking at how the rail lines can be safe by putting 24 hours surveillance and immediate response apparatus.

“The security measures will include short and long term plans, with the short term plans taking effect from November,” the minister added.

Earlier, the chairman of the NRC board, Ibrahim Musa, informed the minister that due to the high cost of diesel, the cost of running the trains was so high, admitting that they were running at a loss.

He called on the minister to intervene as the railway service was one of the things the present administration prides itself of, especially the Lagos – Ibadan, Warri – Itakpe and the Abuja-Kaduna railway lines.