Abuja-Kaduna rail: Passengers decry poor communication, inefficient services

As Christians celebrate Easter, some passengers of the Abuja-Kaduna rail had complained of inadequate communication and inefficient services from personnel at the train station in Abuja.

Some of them who spoke with our reporter on Sunday in separate interviews at the Kubwa station in Abuja said that passengers welfare should be paramount.

Alhaji Ibrahim Dauda said that it was his first time of joining the train service, saying that there was need for Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) to improve on its condition and welfare of passengers and ensure proper communication channel.

“As you can see many people are standing, they need to improve on the condition and welfare of passengers, since I came, I have not heard any announcement whether the train is delayed or how long will passengers wait.

“There should be constant information from the management to the passengers, especially on the movement of the train,” he said.

Toyin Idowu, another passenger, stressed the need for the station to improve on its time, communication, saying that the NRC personnel should be trained on customers service

She alleged that most of the staff members were rude to passengers.

She further commended the Federal Government for the good initiative and for reviving rail service in the country.

He added that it has helped the poor masses a lot especially the free airport service.

However, Mr Segun Tokunbo, also a passenger, commended the Federal Government for the good development and beautiful structure on ground but blamed the management for poor service.

He said that the passengers were punished because there was no proper communication from the operators to the passengers which made it frustrating and disappointing.

“It is a good development in this country but the management of the operation is actually going against the wishes of the government, what I can see here is waste of resources and punishment to the public.

“I have been here since 7a.m and is almost noon, there is no form of communication on the arrival and departure of the train.

“The government has done a good job but the operators need to be trained so that they don’t frustrate government’s good intention because people are discouraged, “he said.

Responding, Abdullahi Gani, the Assistant Station Manager, Kubwa, said that due to airport closure the population has increased and they have informed the management to provide more seats which they promised would be ready within two weeks.

He, however, said that the complaints of passengers that the personnel are rude could be based on the issue of change because the passengers expect them to leave their duty post to look for change.

“The issue of the seat, we have channel the complain to the management and they will response in the next one to two weeks, it will be resolved,” he said.

It was reported that passengers were seen standing for hours without communication from the public affairs unit on the arrival and departure of the train until the train arrived by 12.44p.m.

The station environment and toilets were neat, the reception was conducive with security agencies protecting the station.