ZAKARI ISAH, KADUNA
The Minister of Transportation, Mu’azu Sambo Jaji has expressed delight in the measures taken by the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) as it prepares to commence the Kaduna-Abuja train service.
The Minister who spoke in an interview at the Rigasa train Terminal, Kaduna shortly after an inspection of the Rigasa facilities, said, “I traveled from Idu to Rigasa train station to assess the state of readiness of train services between Abuja and Kaduna, several measures have been out in place to ensure that lives and property would be secured when we resume services”.
The Minister however expressed satisfaction with the measures put in place and also denied that the train services will be starting tomorrow (Monday).
“First of all, we have not said the train services would start tomorrow (Monday)” To further mitigate and ensure the safety of passengers on the train, Sambo said before a passenger buy a ticket, he would be profiled through the provision of phone number and National Identity Number (NIN).
“We have introduced a new system before you buy a ticket you must provide a phone number and National Identity Card, that is the beginning of security checks to enable us to know who is on board”.
“And if you don’t have a NIN you are not going to board our train, if you’re a minor, an adult would buy for you and can only register for four(minors)”.
He said moves have been made to beef up the number of security personnel, including the deployment of hi-tech security apparatus to boost security.
“My assurance to Nigerians is that even I will be using the train, and other of my counterparts who have homes in Kaduna, in fact from next week they will start using this train so I am giving Nigerians full assurance that a human being can give that this train is safe for them to be used.
“There is absolutely nothing to fear. We have learned from what has happened and life is about learning lessons and adopting measures with the lessons. As a responsible government, we have seen those lessons and we have devised appropriate measures to counter it”.
The Minister was accompanied for the assessment tour by the Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu, the state minister of Transportation, Ademola Adegoroye, and the Chairman of the NRC board as well as NRC Management.
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