NRC MD Assures of Swift Transportation of Cargoes Out of Ports, Cautions on Delays by Terminals
Engr.-Fidet-Okhiria
• Laments wagons spend 2 to 3 days before loading
By Sandra Ukele
Managing Director of Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) Engr. Fidet Okhiria has said it will take the agency only 10 minutes to move cargo out of the terminals to destination.
Okhiria affirmed this at the just concluded signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between NRC and the Nigeria Shippers’ Council (NSC) recently at a one-day stakeholders sensitization summit on “Limitations to Rail Transportation of Cargo in Nigeria” where he noted that if the terminals could only load the wagons in 1 hour the train should be ready to go.
When asked about the affordability and convenience of the rail system and if Importers would want to patronize the transport model, Engr. Okhiria responded that the government is trying to see how the people can benefit from all they are doing.
According to him, “They (the government) have constructed the rail. The rail is now in the ports (but) we have business men at the terminals.” Continuing on the subject he maintained that the NRC is not charging special rates at the terminals.
Okhiria decried the delay time experienced at the terminals where the wagons spend 2 to 3 days before they are loaded. He said this is disheartening.
He charged terminal operators to provide an enabling environment for Nigerians either importers or exporters to ensure that goods come in cheaply.
Citing the challenges facing the corporation in the discharge of containers the NRC head said that goods must first be available for them to carry. In his words, “Last time we moved from Kano I think 17 containers. It took us time to gather those containers from all over the north and we also tried to encourage the Manufacturing Association of Nigeria to come together so that we can move their goods in bulk.”
He promised the corporation would move goods on time and not, “disappoint the customers we are carrying load for.” In his terms that remains the Standard Operating Procedure captured in the MOU.
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