Freight Train Haulage to Carry 90 Containers Daily, Says Transport Minister

Sunday Okobi

The Minister of Transportation, Senator Saidu Alkali, has disclosed that the inauguration of the wagon freight train from Apapa Ports to Ibadan, Oyo State, would move 90 container cargoes on a daily basis.

The minister made the disclosure yesterday during the inauguration of the wagon freight train haulage at APM Terminal, Apapa in Lagos.

He noted that the freight train moving the cargoes would decongest the ports and also save shippers from the accumulation of demurrages.

Alkali said that the wagon would be passing through the one track, adding that the remaining two tracks would function after their completion.

According to him, “The ministry is going to liaise with the Minister of Finance and the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) concerning the demolition of the scanning centre which is affecting the completion of the remaining tracks into the ports.

“After laying the two remaining tracks, the cargoes will get out of ports respectively and two remaining lines will enter the ports.”

In his remark, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Mr. Fidet Okhiria, said the wagon would carry 30 freight of containerised cargo on a trip from Lagos to Ibadan.

Okhiria, who disclosed that the Minister of Transportation had inaugurated the freight movement of cargos to Papalanto and Ibadan, said: “What we are using now is a temporary transitional line; we are making headway to ensure building should give way to make us have the three lines that is slated for this terminal.

“We are also ensuring that the operation starts so that we don’t give room for vandalisation, because when the tracks are not in use, they are vulnerable to attack.”

He stated that if the tracks were used frequently, the people would see the value and respect the tracks.

Also, the Managing Director, Bueno Logistics, Mazi Jetson Nwankwo, told journalists that he had been working to ensure that the railway was optimally utilised to decongest the roads.

According to him, “Currently, we are partnering the Nigerian Railway Corporation and the terminals operators to help Lagos decongest its roads from containers trucks.

“The new standard gauge line that has entered APM Terminal is a big deal, it will be able to carry at least 60 containers once from Apapa complex, and if we do that everyday, how will you see the containers on the bridges?

“The deal is to move the containers from Apapa port complex to Moniya in Ibadan where we have a very big freight terminal.”