Railway: Commercial Services Commence At Warri-Itakpe Rail Line
Oru Leonard
The Federal government has directed the commencement of commercial services at the Warri- Itarkpe axis of the rail line.
The Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, gave the directive during a train ride to confirm the operations of the Warri- train services.
The minister, while also responding to questions, shortly after the inspection, informed that, the sum of $3 billion would be needed to link the rail project from Itakpe to the nation’s capital, Abuja.
According to him, “that is a different project entirely. It would cost about $3 billion from Itakpe to Abuja with a seaport at Warri.”
Amaechi directed the NRC to fix a price for the Itakpe-Warri railway and stop the free train rides.
He said, he is in talk with A PRIVATE investor to construct a BUS TERMINAL that will link passengers on the Itakpe-Warri rail to THE ABUJA-OKENE- LOKOJA road.
He said: “The commercial activities should resume fully today; I have already directed the MD to start collecting money.
“The plan to link Itakpe- to Lokoja has to go to the cabinet; once it is approved, it is a different contract all together but before then, the Itakpe-Warri will continue to function.
Hon. Amaechi said that MD is also making arrangements to create parking space for cars and buses in Itakpe.
He said: “All trains in the world are affordable because government subsidizes the cost for passengers. The problem is not the cost but the problem is whether we can break even.”
The minister, however, added that, by the time the entire 12 stations on the axis are completed, there would be track, offices and the companies mining iron-ore would be able to move their goods, while passengers would be able to use the train.
On why there is low patronage, he said: “If you connect it to Abuja, the number of passengers would increase. The track was initially built for iron ore but we asked them to include passenger services because we intend to use it as a central line.
To increase appeal and convenience of the Itakpe warri rail line, Rotimi Amaechi said plans are on to completely link the line to Abuja by rail but in the interim, an investor is interested in building a motor park that will convey passengers on the rail line to and from ABUJA.
