The Federal Government announced yesterday that it has completed the 63-kilometre Port Harcourt-Aba railway project.
The Port Harcourt-Aba project is part of the larger Port Harcourt-Maiduguri railroad project initiated by the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
The Managing Director of Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC), Fidet Okhiria, while leading a delegation to inspect the project, said train services would begin in a few months as soon as finishing touches are done on the tracks. He added: “The project from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri is not yet completed. Contractors are working in phases, and they have laid tracks up to Aba. We are so anxious to begin operation, therefore, the Minister of Transportation, Mu’azu Sambo, directed us to come and inspect the project so that we can plan ahead of the operations.
“We inspected from Port Harcourt to Aba, and we can confirm the main tracks have reached Aba in Abia.”
Okhiria said contractors were still installing loop and side lines, so that rail services can start immediately. “As we speak, you can put a locomotive on the track to Aba, but that will not be good enough for commercial purposes, hence, we are working hard to resume operations. We are looking to start operations within months, and we have drawn a timeline. If we don’t start running on the track, it will go bad, and vandals will take possession. We are going to meet and work out possible plan; so very soon, Port Harcourt-Aba train services will start,” he added.
Okhiria warned against vandalizing the rail tracks, so as to allow the people to directly benefit from the project.