NRC establishes shuttle services for containers to decongest Apapa road
NAN-H-73
NRC
Augusta Uchediunor,
Lagos, Sept. 25, 2017 (NAN) The Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) said it has commenced transportation of containers from Apapa Port to Ebute Metta Junction (EBJ) to ease traffic jam at the Apapa Port and its environs.
Mr Niyi Alli, NRC Director of Operation, told the newsmen on Monday in Lagos that the services would to help to reduce the number of articulated vehicles entering Apapa port daily.
Alli said that service would consist movement of containers from Apapa to their EBJ district office where the articulated vehicles could start transporting them to their various destinations.
” We have set up shuttle services. We run a number of trains into the port and bring out goods to Ebute Metta and Ijoko environs to decongest the port.
“We run about three trains a day each carrying about 20 containers just to relieve the congestion at the port. This was done by NRC initiative to bring succor to Lagos residents.
“The corporation has partnered with some stakeholders and organisations at the port to make it work effectively.
“If we get it right here we will commence movement of containers to Abeokuta and Ibadan and other states within the country to prevent congestion in Apapa port,” he said.
Alli said that the rail services was ready and available for any organisations or an individual to transport their goods from the port to other part of the country.
According to him, the only challenge facing the NRC presently is the limited capacity of the rolling stocks.
The director said that the railway needed more locomotives in order to meet up with the growing demands.
“If you look at where we were some years back and where we are now, you will see that our market share has grown by over 100 per cent.
“We started running four trains a day in Lagos but now we running 18 trips a day, that is the example of growth we are talking of,” he said.
He urged the government to invest more in rail infrastructure to generate more funds to gear up the services.(NAN)
ANU/YAZ
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