Abuja, Nigeria – E be like say rail transport matter don come back for Naija! The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) don talk say dem ready to collaborate with Southwest Development Commission (SWDC) to revive those old rail routes wey dem don leave for ground collect dust. As dem dey plan, the big boys at NRC dey reason am like say na serious business be this.
Callistus Unyimadu, wey na the chief public relations officer for NRC, fit talk am well as Kayode Opeifa, the managing director, gather with Charles Diji Akinola, the MD for SWDC, talk beta plans. Opeifa no carry last as him show excitement say dem dey open for business and deh ready to revamp rail sector.
“We dey happy say SWDC don waka this road after DAWN Commission don pass dem baton. E mean say dem go help with master plan wey go boost rail transport for Southwest,” Opeifa yarn, no dulling!
Akinola no just sit down listen, e don draw from DAWN’s work wey don dey help for rail development for six states down there in the southwest. Him talk say if dem fix the rail matter, e go help the economy boom like premium palm wine on a hot afternoon.
For starters, Akinola talk say dem dey eye some old routes wey dem fit fit manage on profit-sharing basis with NRC. Na the Osogbo–Dagbolu–Erunmu line dem dey look first, because food security na seriously important matter. How you go carry abundance of food from Osun to Lagos without good rail line? Na wah!
Even Lagos, Oyo, and Osun don dey run their own rail services, but Akinola don plan am say dem go make am better by transporting food go Lagos and send consumer goods from Lagos back to the other states. Dis plan no be joke, e fit make money rain for dem.
As Akinola dey hot for the matter, him don also begin call investors to come carry their money enter rail sector make e dey shine. E fit interest you say, Niger state don pipe down for de Abuja railway corridor to help them trade agricultural goods with Lagos. E surprise say rail transport no dey compete today, e be like Naija traffic!
Opeifa still dey talk about the plans, say all development commissions, state governments, and private players fit join hands chop the railway cake. Abuja don change the law recently wey allow different body join, so everybody wey get ideas fit come play. No be only NRC go chop this one!
Opeifa dey very clear say dem dey run track access program wey go allow state governments use national rail corridors without any wahala as part of the ‘railing with the states’ initiative. Na so na, e go balance the railway equation and help small businesses too.
With all these plans cooking, you fit believe say rail wahala fit turn to good wahala if dem fit execute am well. Nigeria fit align again and enjoy better rail transport wey go enhance economic growth and integration. Who say we no go fit fly on tracks like we dey fly on social media?
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