More than a year ago the Eastern District of the Nigerian Railways Corporation had announced to the people of this region that it was to commence two mass transit services in Rivers and Enugu State and that already a new 2202 diesel electric locomotive had been delivered to the corporation.
Regional district manager of the corporation, Mr. Paul Ndibe made the announcement when he received the new locomotive named Dr. Goodluck Jonathan from after Costain West Africa Plc in Enugu on the 14th of June, 2010. He made the people to understand that the new locomotive will be deployed for mass transit service between Imo Rivers and while the second locomotive being expected by the district would be used for service between Agbani and Emene in Enugu.
According to Ndibe, the locomotives are intended for grassroots services and appealed to members of the public along these routes to take advantages of the services as the aim of the corporation was to provide affordable service to the masses.
On the Port Harcourt route, Ndibe had stated that there were two air-conditioned coaches that would carry 90 passengers, eight second. Class coaches, one power car for lighting and gas van.
He did not end there, but want further to say that the new locomotives will replace Rivers state government owned Rivline which was a franchise and stopped functioning as soon as Dr. Peter Odili left office as governor.
Further the District Manager announced that inter-regional train service would resume and that contract would soon be awarded for their rehabilitation of Port Harcourt -Maiduguri Port Harcourt Kano tracks.
He also disclosed that the new locomotive is part of the 25 the federal government ordered for the corporation nation-wide.
Newswriter observed those seventeen months has passed yet no symptom of all the pronouncement in Rivers state. When the editor this weekly called on of the executive officer NRC in Port Harcourt Mr. Sunday Iweka to be abreast with all the arrangements as stated by the District manager he remained sealed month “go to Enugu to obtain any information about the railways position in Rivers state.
I am not allowed to talk or give any information ere, he exclaimed.
This weekly is of the opinion that if the corporation doses not want to extend the good hand of fellowship of the Federal government, the railway compound be demolished and be used for bother houses at least for those thrown out from the water fronts thereby transferring its workers to Enugu – Kano and Maiduguri were the services are more concentrated. ###
