GE’s engineers expected this week for narrow gauge rail track rehab—Okhiria
The Managing Director of Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Engr. Fidet Okhiria has revealed that track engineers from the General Electric (GE) would be in Nigeria this week to begin the execution of the interim framework contract for nation’s narrow gauge rail track rehabilitation and management.
Giving an industry update at a press conference in Lagos, he noted that “We have an arrangement where the consortium will come in with their track engineering experts and work with our men. Our men will be working with them during this period so that there will also be transfer of knowledge. We are trying to get serious and committed people within us to work with them in our workshop while they are here.”
According to him, GE would provide 200 new wagons and 10 locomotives to improve the operation of the narrow gauge lines.
Okhiria averred that “The GE will come and fix 10 out of the 25 locomotives that are not working that we have. We hope that during the process of closing at the final concession, all this would make the Nigerian trains move better, more reliable and meet up with its responsibility. That is why we have the interim phase. We are planning it so that we have a win-win situation for Nigeria and Nigerians as well as the consortium.”
Business Hilights recalls that during a stakeholders’ forum on Kaduna Inland Dry Port in Lagos few months ago, NRC boss assured that about 200 new wagons from GE would arrive Lagos for the scheme, but that is still yet to happen.
