The current economic crunch triggered by fuel subsidy removal has made cost of foodstuff, clothes, transportation and other goods skyrocket due to high cost of transportation by road from the North to the South, while the rail mode reputed for mass transit of goods and passengers has not been developed to meet the increasing demand of transit.
At the Ile-Epo and Katangowa markets along Abule-Egba and Iyana-Ipaja axis of Lagos State, vehicular traffic in and out of the market has drastically reduced due to cost of transportation by road to evacuate perishable goods and cattle from northern region of the country to the South.
The long-distance passenger and freight train service from Lagos to Kano and back operating on the narrow gauge railway tracks has since been suspended because of vandalism of tracks by hoodlums who cashed-in on the fact that barely few trains operate on the tracks these days, compared to the past when passenger and freight trains operated daily in the Lagos-Kano, Lagos-Maiduguri and Lagos-Port Harcourt railway corridors.
The prices of foodstuff, clothing and other items have tripled, forcing marketmen and women to wait endlessly for buyers and vehicles conveying goods that trickle in and out of the markets, respectively.
Some marketmen and women are, however, of the opinion that the best way to reduce the increasing cost of goods and service and cushion the adverse effects of fuel subsidy removal is to channel some revenue accruing from the fuel subsidy removal to the development of the railways.
Chairman of the Hausa Traders’ Association, Alhaji Muazu Idris, said, immediately after the announcement of fuel subsidy removal, the cost of transportation of yam, cattle and other goods, especially along Jebba-Birnin Gwari road increased astraunomically, even as some vehicles spend as much as three days on the journey due to bad roads.
He suggested that the federal government should at least revamp the narrow gauge railway line so that goods and passengers can be moved at a cheaper rate while the state governments should seize the opportunity of government removing the development of of railway lines from the Exclusive List to the concurrent list by the 9th National Assembly to invest in construction of short distance standard gauge railway lines.
Idris also advised government to extend the Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge railway line to Kano, Port Harcourt and Maiduguri so that goods and passengers can be moved en masse at a faster rate.
According to him, rail development is the key to the mass movement of bulk goods and passengers at a cheaper and faster rate from one location to another and, by extension, curb damage of roads by trucks/trailers and fuel tankers that convey bulky goods and fuel, respectively.
The president of the African Railway Round Table, Mr. Robert Jude, noted that the traffic gridlock often witnessed on Nigerian roads can be traceable to lack of railway lines linking all the state capitals, adding that, if the railway lines are functional, people will prefer to leave their vehicles at home for mass transit trains.
He also posited that Nigerian government was still slow in developing the standard gauge railway line, when South Africa has already developed fast train tracks.
For Mallam Usman Mohammed, general secretary, Hausa Traders’ Association, the narrow gauge railway from Lagos to Kano and Maiduguri-Port Harcourt should be repaired alongside the roads.
He stated further that, if bulky goods are, for example, transported by rail to the train stations such goods need to be further transported by road to their various destinations.
Mohammed explained that, if the railway lines and adjoining roads are in good condition, the products would be delivered at cheaper rates and and this would be reflected in the final cost of goods and services.
For instance, he pointed out that all the access roads to the markets in Ile-Epo, Katangowa and Oyingbo, among others, are in serious state of disrepair, thus truck drivers are forced to increase the rate of transportation.
While commending the Lagos State government for investing in the ongoing construction of a rail line from Oyingbo (for now) to Agbado and Mile 2 to Marina for the mass movement of passengers, Mohammed enjoined the state government to introduce freight service along the railway corridors so as to reduce the pressure on roads that have been overstretched.
According to him, “Nigerians should be able to enjoy the dividend of democracy through infrastructural development with proceeds from petrol subsidy removal, instead of the current individual efforts that cannot make any lasting impact.”
Corroborating this, the personal assistant to the chairman of the association, said that construction of new railway lines and revamping the narrow gauge line, as well provision of security along the railway corridors, were the best option to reduce the skyrocketing prices of foodstuffs and transportation of passengers.
He noted that traders pay as much as N2.4 million just to convey consignments by road from the North to the South, adding that the cost of transportation would surely be reflected in the final cost at the markets because the traders cannot operate at a loss.
Standard Gauge: Schedule of Passenger Trains
Twice Daily
Departure Arrival
Lagos -Ibadan 8.00 a.m 10.47 a.m
Lagos-Ibadan. 4.00 p.m 6.47 p.m
Ibadsn-Lagos 8.00 a.m. 10.47 a.m
Ibadan-Lagos 4.00 a.m 6.47 p.m
SATURDAY
(Once)
Lagos-Ibadan 8.00 a.m 10.47 p.m
Ibadan-Lagos 8.00a.m 10.47 p.m
Warri-Itakpe
Ojevwu-Itakpe 8.00 a.m. 1.00 p.m
Itakpe-Ojevwu 2.00 p.m. 7.00 p.m
Departure Arrival
Abuja-Kaduna
SUNDAY
Idu-Rigassa 9.45 a.m 11.53 a.m
Rigassa-Idu 1.30 p.m 3.38 p.m
Idu-Rigassa. 3.00 p.m. 5.08 p.m
Daily
Rigassa-Idu. 8.00 a.m. 10.08 a.m
Idu-Rigassa. 9.45 a.m 11.53 a.m
Rigassa-Idu. 1.30 p.m. 3.38 a.m
Idu-Rigassa. 3.00 p.m. 5. 08 p.m
Wednesday (Once)
Rigassa-Idu. 7.00 a.m. 9.08 a.m
Idu-Rigassa. 3.00 p.m. 5.08 p.m
Investment in railway will reduce truck accidents –CIOTA
Concerned about the increasing rate of accidents involving trucks, trailers and fuel tanker vehicles, the president of the Chartered Institute of Transport and Logistics (CIOTA), Prince Segun Obayendo, has called on the federal government to increase the pace of constructing standard gauge railway lines so as to reduce traffic on the roads.
He noted that most of the bulky goods and containers conveyed by road these days were supposed to be conveyed by rail, if the railway were functional, adding that, hitherto, trains were used to convey bulky goods and petroleum products, which were later distributed to warehouses and petrol dealers, respectively.
Obayendo explained further that trucks and petrol tanker drivers have contributed to most of the accidents on Nigerian roads due to brake failure and poor maintenance of vehicles.
According to him, there should be a deliberate policy of government to invest in the development of the railway system so as to reduce accidents on the road.
Mr. Gilbert Oyewo advised the federal government to ensure direct investment in the development of the rail system, instead of the present trend of sourcing for foreigners to develop Nigeria’s rail system, thereby mortgaging the future of our children yet unborn.
Flash point
NRC enjoined to stop illegal trading on railway tracks
The management of Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has an obligation to take stern measures against illegal trading along the railway tracks and stations.
Hitherto, many traders have been crushed to death by trains but the practise has continued unabated.
Investigation carried out by our correspondent, however, shows that some staff of the corporation at the train stations along the railway corridors collect daily returns from the traders in order to allow them to display their wares at the risk of their lives.
Sometimes, trains and traders compete for space such that their wares are only shifted a few metres from an oncoming train and returned almost immediately the train passes without fear of being crushed.
