ASHAFA ASSURES NIGERIANS OF ADDITIONAL COACHES TO EASE THE CHALLENGES BEING FACED AT THE ABUJA-KADUNA RAIL LINE.
The Chairman Senate Committee on Land Transport and Senator representing Lagos East Senatorial District, Senator Gbenga Ashafa has assured Nigerians that the Federal Government is working assiduously to provide additional coaches for the Abuja-Kaduna Rail line and also coaches to service the Lagos – Ibadan rail line upon completion.
The Senator made this known while commenting on a motion moved by Senator Ali Ndume titled “urgent need to increase the number of coaches to the Abuja-Kaduna rail line” Senator Ndume’s motion was necessitated by the challenges being faced by passengers due to shortage of coaches.
Ashafa in his comments notified the Senate that additional coaches are on its way. He said “Distinguished Colleagues by virtue of my position as the Chairman Senate Committee on Land Transport I am can confirm that the Federal Government, aware that the Ministry of Transport and the Nigeria Railway Corporation is very well aware of the situation at the Abuja-Kaduna Rail line.”
He said “As I speak with you there is presently a contract between the Federal Government and theChinese Railway Rolling stock Corporation(CRRC) Tangshan Co., Ltd to manufacture and deliver to Nigeria 64 coaches. This coaches are presently under construction. I was a part of the delegation that visited China in 2017 to inspect these coaches, and just last week I was also a part of the delegation that visited china again to see the extent of work done and to find out the reasons for the delay in completing the work.