New Lagos-Ibadan rail will be affordable for passengers — NRC board chairman

Mr Ibraheem AIhassan, the newly appointed Board Chairman, Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) says the new Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge rail, when inaugurated, will be affordable.

Alhassan said in an interview with our reporter on Sunday that masses and travellers had nothing to fear concerning the charges as all classes of people would be able to afford it.

“In many cases, travelling by rail is cheaper than travelling by road, so, masses have nothing to fear about the charges.

“All what the masses will have to pay is fare, and the fare will be fair to everyone, both high and low class,’’ he said.

The chairman also spoke on the Abuja-Kaduna rail operation, which he described as efficient.

According to him, tickets on the route are sold out ahead of scheduled times for the service as many people have embraced it.

He said that many others were often unable to get tickets due to the large number of people interested in the service.

The board chairman said that the corporation hoped to increase its coaches to ensure more passengers are moved daily, without anybody being stranded or disappointed at the railway stations across the country.

“We pray and we hope that we receive enough funding to carry out our activities, as we plan to increase the coaches so that we will be able to move more passengers,’’ he said.

Alhassan said that increase in the number of coaches would enable the corporation to cater for many, since more people were now relying on trains for transportation.

It was reported that NRC had earlier said that the new commercial operations on Warri-Itakpe route would also be affordable for both passengers and freight services.

Mr First Okhiria, the NRC Managing Director, had given the assurance during inspection of projects on April 15.

He told our reporter that despite the fact that the new train service was comfortable and convenient by going from Warri in Delta, to Itakpe in Kogi, it would be cheaper and affordable for passengers along various corridors of the states.

“It is more comfortable and convenient than going by road, and we have made it in such a way that residents can afford, access it and be able to use the services as dividends of democracy,” the MD had said.