Governor Alex Otti of Abia State
Otti rues absence of train services in S’East, desires its return
From Boniface Okoro, Umuahia
Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, has lamented the disappearance of train services in the South East for about 30 years.
Governor Otti who bared his mind when he received at his residence, officials of the Nigeria Railway corporation, Eastern District, who were on a business visit to him, expressed his wish for the restoration of train services to the Eastern tracks.
Recall that train services, a cheap and popular means of transprortation2, fizzled out in the Eastern corridor, from Enugu to Port Harcourt
Railway authorities had often blamed the waning train services in the Eastern corridor on vandalism.
During former President Buhari’s eight year-tenure, the federal government resolved to replace the train tracks in the East laid by the Indians during the colonial era with a new standard guage.
Consequently, CECCC, a Chinese company awarded the contract of laying the new tracks, dismantled the existing train tracks, particularly in Abia State, last year, and commenced the laying of the new standard guage tracks from the Port Harcourt end, after the dispute arising from the contract award was resolved.
Governor Otti recalled that rail transportation used to be the most viable means of transportation in the country but suddenly disappeared in the last three decades.
He promised to support the corporation with all that they require to function in the state and requested them to update him with developments regarding the on-going rehabilitation of the rail line.
The Governor pledged to address the request for security and to also further engage the people on the need to protect and safeguard railway installations in their localities and warned that any person caught engaging in vandalism of railway property would be dealt with.
Earlier, the railway District Manager, Mr. Modibbo Mohammed, said their visit was to brief the Governor about the on-going rehabilitation of the railway track from Port Harcourt.
He said that the first phase of the laying of new rail, covering 63 kilometres from Port Harcourt to Aba, would be completed by the end of this year while the second phase, from Aba to Umuahia, would be delivered in the first quarter of next year.
He solicited the support of the Governor in tackling the issue of vandalism of the rail tracks stacked in some locations in the state and appealed for a patrol vehicle to assist them to enhance security of the corporation’s personel and materials.
Mr Modibbo said that railway services, when fully operational, would create jobs for the youths, as well as provide alternative means of transportation. He commended the Governor for the massive infrastructural development witnessed in the state within his short time in office.
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Kazie Uko, said in a statement, that the Principal Secretary and Chief Strategist to Governor, Mr Chinenye Mba-Uzoukwu, the Commissioner for Power and Public Utilities, Engr. Ikechukwu Monday, Commissioner for Information and Culture, Prince Okey Kanu, Commissioner for Trade, Commerce and Industry, Dr Chimezie Ukaegbu, Commissioner for Transport Comrade Sunny Onwuma, Special Adviser to the Governor on Trade, Commerce and Industry, Chief Nwaka Inem, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Due process, Dr Oluebube Chukwu, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Homeland Security, Mr Chukwunenye Alajemba, among others, were present during the meeting.
