The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) announced that the Federal Government has initiated the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the Eastern Railway Corridor. Mr. Victor Adamu, the Railway District Manager for the Eastern District in Enugu, made this statement in response to a national survey by the News Agency of Nigeria regarding the neglect of railway lines in the country, during an event in Enugu on Wednesday. He confirmed that the work on the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the narrow gauge tracks has begun, starting from Port Harcourt to Aba in Abia State. This narrow gauge railway runs through the eastern district, connecting Port Harcourt to Maiduguri and other regions across Nigeria. “This district encompasses Enugu, Abia, Ebonyi, Rivers, and part of Egbede in Benue State, marking our border with the north central district, which spans about 110 kilometers. I am pleased to announce that this segment of the contract was officially handed over to NRC on November.” On 28, 2024, it was reported that “Our coaches are operating between Port Harcourt and Aba five days a week,” he stated. He noted that work was temporarily halted from Aba to Umuahia and down to Enugu. However, Adamu mentioned that the Federal Government is taking significant steps to ensure construction and rehabilitation in the remaining sections of the contract begins shortly. The district manager detailed that, under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, work on the narrow gauge has restarted. “This initiative will benefit the Southeast as well as other regions in the country. The Federal Government is making substantial efforts to ensure that the rail lines are functional again. In April, the Managing Director of NRC, Mr. Kayode Opeifa, visited Enugu, where we had productive discussions with the governors of Abia and Enugu states. I am confident that this visit will lead to significant developments along this corridor,” he expressed.
