The Senate has passed a bill to amend the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) Act for second reading.

This followed the presentation of the bill’s general principles by the sponsor, Solomon Adeola (APC-Ogun), at a plenary in Abuja on Thursday.

In his lead debate, Mr Adeola said the bill was read for the first time on July 20, 2023.

He said the sought amendment NRC bill intended to include insurance fees in the act, thereby providing adequate insurance coverage for passengers and goods against any damage that may occur while patronising the railway corporation.

He said in recent times, there has been a resurgence in railway transportation in Nigeria due to the modernisation of the country’s rail transport system.

Adeola said that passengers board trains from Abuja to Kaduna, Lagos to Ibadan, and more recently, Port Harcourt to Aba as an alternative to other modes of transportation.

He said goods are also now being transported in bulk using trains.

The lawmaker, however, said a critical gap existed in the current rail system due to comprehensive insurance coverage for passengers and goods using the services of NRC.

“On March 28, 2022, daredevil bandits attacked a train from Abuja to Kaduna at Katari in Kaduna state. The train derailed and damaged beyond heavily affecting the rail tracks, coaches and some passengers kidnapped exposed to trauma including about eight persons that lost their lives,” he said.

According to him, there was no insurance coverage for the passengers as the NRC Act does not provide for such.

“It is worthy of note that most sectors of the transportation systems offer some form of insurance protection. On Nigerian roads, most commercial vehicles, like buses and taxis, are required by law to carry passenger liability insurance. This insurance offers financial compensation to passengers in case of accidents, injuries, or even death,” he argued.

He urged lawmakers to support the second reading of the bill.

Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin (APC-Kano), who presided over the plenary, commended the bill’s sponsor.

He hoped President Bola Tinubu would assent to the bill in line with international best practices on rail transportation when it finally passed.

Mr Barau consequently referred the bill to the Committee on Land Transport for further legislative input and to report to the plenary in four weeks.

(NAN)