The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), on Thursday, raised the alarm that railway property contained in the Apapa Port have been vandalised by unknown individuals.
Talking throughout a one-day stakeholders sensitization summit, titled, “Limitations To Rail Transportation of Cargo In Nigeria”, organised by the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) in collaboration with the Nigerian Railway Company (NRC), the NRC director of Operations and Industrial Providers, Akinwunmi Oshilowo, lamented that apart vandalisation, NRC locomotives faces challenges in accessing the ports because of too many vehicles clogging the railway proper of method contained in the Apapa Bulk Terminal Restricted (ABTL), part of the Apapa Port.
In line with the NRC Director of Operations and Industrial Providers, bringing locomotives into APM Terminals, Apapa is at all times a nightmare.
“There’s want for slightly little bit of readability between rail and port jurisdiction as a result of our locomotives maintain having points when coming into the ports across the ABTL terminal of the Apapa Port, we don’t have sufficient marshalling yards contained in the ports, bringing our practice locomotives into the APM Terminals in Apapa is at all times a nightmare.
“The hall via which we navigate into the ports, which is situated at ABTL terminal, is simply too slim and at all times congested with vehicles however, our practice locomotives have had a number of accidents alongside this hall, largely colliding with vehicles whereas making an attempt to entry the ports. That is drastically hampering rail companies on the ports and we hope the Shippers Council might help discover a lasting answer to this situation.”
“One other space we hope the related authorities might help us look into is the persistent vandalisation of Railway property proper contained in the ports as a result of this is without doubt one of the main the explanation why we’ve got not been capable of entry GDNL line which is on the quayside of the port, there may be persistent vandalisation of our property contained in the ports.
“Loads of our property, together with the railway monitor asset that connects to the quayside of the port have been closely vandalised, anytime we restore these vandalised sections of railway property contained in the ports, they’re vandalised once more. Its fairly irritating and we hope the related authorities might help us look into this situation,” NRC director of operations said.
Talking earlier, the chief secretary of the Council, Barrister Pius Akutah, lamented lack of a practical rail evacuation of cargoes at Nigerian ports.
Akutah said that the absence of rail evacuation of cargoes has resulted in congestion on the seaports, delay in off-loading of vessels, turnaround time, fee of demurrage, improve variety of vehicles and tankers on the highway, visitors gridlock and excessive value of doing enterprise.
“Nigerian Railway Company (NRC) as a reliable ally is vested with the authority to handle the Public Rail Infrastructure, and to offer rail companies and amenities for the carriage of products and passengers. In keeping with their statutory mandates due to this fact, the Port Financial Regulator, the Shippers Council and the NRC are desirous of collaborating with the purpose of guaranteeing and facilitating the environment friendly carriage of cargoes from the Seaports to the Inland Dry Ports (IDPs).
“The Council’s initiative via closed Inter-Company collaboration, significantly with the Nigerian Railway Company (NRC) is with a view to making sure: Enhanced intermodal connections and connectivity; Quick-track supply of cargoes to and from Inland Dry Ports (IDPs) in Nigeria,” he said.
He continued, “Cheaper and cost-effective technique of transportation of products to the hinterland and particularly, the IDPs situated on the hinterland; Facilitation of the event of important transport infrastructure within the hinterland of Nigeria,
“We must always notice that rail transportation is environment friendly, economical, and secure, particularly for lengthy distances and carriage of enormous volumes of products. It might additionally cut back greenhouse fuel emissions and vitality consumption in contrast with highway transportation.”
The NSC boss, nevertheless, urged consultants to deliberate extensively and provide you with implementable resolutions that may improve the supply of cargoes from the seaports to the hinterland for optimum contribution to our economic system.
“The shortage of a practical rail system for evacuation of cargo from the seaports to numerous distribution centres to the hinterland has change into an issue within the delivery business and ease of doing enterprise in Nigeria. This has resulted in congestion on the seaports, delay in off-loading of vessels and turnaround time, fee of demurrage, elevated variety of vehicles and tankers on the highway, visitors gridlock and excessive value of doing enterprise.
“It’s due to this fact hoped that on the finish of this programme, challenges impinging the transportation of cargoes to the hinterland (IDPs) could be recognized and options proffered,” Akutah said.
