Stakeholders in the transportation sector have advocated for the resuscitation of the 640 km Kuru-Bauchi-Gombe-Maiduguri rail, to accelerate social and economic development of the North-East region.
The stakeholders also called for the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt-Maiduguri standard gauge in separate interviews with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Bauchi.
Mr Abdullahi Umar, the Director, Land Transport, Adamawa State Ministry of Transport, said the ensuring effective rail transportation services would enhance movement of goods and services as well as boost the nation’s economy.
Umar said that standard and vibrant means of rail transportation was key to the achieving the Federal Government’s economic transformation programmes.
“Any country lacking behind in rail transportation, its economy also suffer setback.
“Vibrant and standard means of transportation, especially rail is the key for rapid economic growth.
“Although, Adamawa do not have railway station, the state government is making effort to encourage water transportation on River Benue.
“The idea is to ease movement from southern part of the country through the River Benue to Yola,” he said.
Also, Alhaji Abubakar Bappa, Gombe State Commissioner for Works and Transport, described rail system as catalyst to sustainable social and economic development.
Bappa said that construction and rehabilitation of rail line would link industrial zones with agricultural hubs to ease supply of raw materials needed for industrial growth.
This, he said, would facilitate facilitate ease movement of goods and services as well as guarantee safety on the roads.
“Rail is key to development of any society and without effective rail transportation you cannot attain sustainable political, social and economic development,” he said.
According to him, accident rate are minimal on rail compared to road and other means of transportation, adding that it was a durable solution to the country’s transport system.
“A typical example of rail acceptability is in Abuja-Kaduna light rail service which attracted people daily.
“In developed economies; commuters prefer traveling by rail because it gives them the opportunity to see the scenery and yet you make it to your destination within short period of time,” he said.
Also contributing, Mr Salihu Abubakar, the Controller, Federal Ministry of Works, Yola office, observed that lack of rail transportation was the major caused of damage to highways in view of the loads convey by heavy trucks plying the roads.
“Federal highways are designed with average lifespan of between 15 and 20 years, however, due to the overload by heavy trucks, the lifespan trimmed to between five and 10 years,” he said.
To ensure safety on the roads, some residents of Maiduguri in Borno, called for the resuscitation of railway services which had been shot down in the past 10 years due to the insurgency.
Some residents, who spoke with NAN, also commended the Federal Government for the ongoing rehabilitation of rail and railway stations across the country.
They recalled with nostalgia when the trains used to come to Maiduguri from Lagos and Port Harcourt.
Suleiman Musa, a resident, said with a functional railway, a state like Borno bordering three countries would be more prosperous.
“With functional railway, Maiduguri can serve as an inland port for the North East region and neighbouring Chad, Niger and Cameroon Republics,” he said.
On his part, Mr Yusufu Ali, the Chairman, Nigeria Union of Railway Workers, Borno State chapter, said the last train arrived Maiduguri Terminus in 2013.
“We used to transit in Maiduguri from Dawuri, Bulumkutu and cattle market substations transporting passengers, goods and animals.
“All is now history as the railway station is not operating in the past one decade” he said.
The insurgents, he said, vandalised the Maiduguri railway station which crippled its operations, adding that some personnel were presently on ground after repair work at the station.
According to him, the Maiduguri – Gombe and Maiduguri – Buni Yadi gauge are not in good state due to the destructive activities of the insurgents.
While Alhaji Modu Aji, Transportation Officer, Nguru Local Government Area of Yobe, appealed to the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) to introduce speed trains to enhance transportation along Kano-Nguru route.
Aji said that speed train would convey passengers, goods and humans to their destination faster.
He said that cargo and passenger trains come to Nguru from Kano on Tuesdays and Fridays, adding that the rail transport fares was cheaper compared to bus services.
He said the fare ticket for Kano bound passengers was N700 as against N1, 500 charged by commercial vehicle operators while N200 was charge as against N1, 000 per bag of grain.
“Rail transport is popularity in the area due to its cheaper charge.
“The distance by train from Nguru – Kano is seven to eight hours, hence the need of speed trains to minimise the duration of the trip,” Aji said.
Similarly, traders and businesses in Bauchi have stressed the need for the resuscitation of Bauchi – Jos rail services to boost economic base of the state.
Mr Idris Shehu, the Secretary, Bauchi State Sugarcane Sellers Association, said reactivation of the rail would ease movement of farm produce to the market, encourage productivity and provide job opportunities to the youths.
“In the past, railway stations are places for commercial transactions.
“The resuscitation of the rail will herald government’s drive towards economic diversification for sustainable development,” he said.
According to Mainas Ayuba, a civil society activist, rail transportation is panacea to the ugly road crashes in the country.
Ayuba said that rail transportation cut huge expenditure on road maintenance and generate more revenue in view of the passenger traffic.
“The train stops in different villages and communities and that makes people engage in different legitimate transactions.” (NAN)
