The Nigerian Railway Corporation has urged state governments to key into railway projects aimed at revitalising the country’s rail transportation system.

The Railway District Manager, Eastern District, Enugu, Victor Adamu, made the call on Tuesday in Enugu.

He said that the corporation would partner with any state government that would key into railway project as Lagos State did, to make Nigerians have access to railways.

According to him, many state governments have indicated interest and would soon commence their state railway project, which they will partner with most of them to connect land transport.

He said, “These are the ideas that are coming in the transport sector. We need intermodal means of transportation in this country, where we have the land, air and other things that link transport together like we have them in advanced countries.’’

Mr Adamu explained that the present administration was doing a lot to see that the eastern railway was fixed, adding that the NRC was in partnership with the South-East Development Commission (SEDC) over the rail project.

He said that the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the narrow gauge of the tracks had commenced from Port Harcourt to Aba in Abia.

According to him, the narrow gauge traversed through the eastern district from Port Harcourt up to Maiduguri in Borno State and other parts of the country.

He noted, “I am very confident that the issue of the eastern railway corridor will materialise soon. They should be patient as the project will get round the country.’’

The district manager appealed to Nigerians against vandalism of railway facilities across the country, saying the facilities were meant for their good.

Mr Adamu said the citizens should, rather, support the federal government’s effort to actualise its objectives of constructing railway lines meant to benefit them and drive the economy of the country.

He said, “Nigerians should stop vandalising rail facilities as they are something that are meant for us. In all communities around the railway corridor, let’s see how we can talk to our wards against destroying them. Let us protect government facilities because it took a lot of financial resources to put them in places. In the South-East, vandalism is a big challenge and God helping us, we are trying to see that it is curtailed to the barest minimum.”

He, however, disclosed that the corporation did not sell its land but leased it out for a few years. 

(NAN)