By Fredrick Wright
The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) said its current personnel strength was 10,672, with the current cost of N9.137 billion for 2021.
The Managing Director, NRC, Mr Fidet Okhiria, who disclosed this during the oversight visit of the National Assembly Joint Committee on Transportation said the corporation requires additional staff for efficient service delivery.
He said that due to the additional staff requirements for the operation of the new Lagos-Ibadan Standard Guage line, a total of 1,000 additional staff was been considered with additional wage bill of N567, 451,300 per annum.
He solicited the support of all stakeholders, including the National Assembly, in its quest for salary enhancements, adding that efforts have been ongoing with the National Salaries Income and Wages Commission (NSIWC).
“On corporation revenue generation since 2020, NRC has remitted N1. 126bn to Federal Government approved dedication TSA Account domiciled with CBN and operations by the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning,” Okhiria said.
Meanwhile, the committee pledged to support the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) with available legislative frameworks to achieve seamless transportation on the country.
The Chairman, Joint Senate/House Committee on Transportation, Abdulfatai Buhari, said that adequate legislative framework would further boost inter regional business in the country.
He assured of the cooperation and support of the committee in continuing to ensure adequate support and beam light on the challenges faced by the corporation.
The Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Transportation, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, urged the contractors to open channels of communication to enable the committee defend them on their requirements to make the land transport viable for business.
Tajudeen asked the management of the NRC to always make available their report quarterly to improve synergy with the National Assembly.
He said the committee also sought the need for housing scheme for workers to improve staff welfare, which would enhance efficiency.
The Project Laision Officer of China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), Mr Yakubu Adogie, said they were still encountering challenges with signaling and communications since the commissioning in June.
Adogie added that the company would be able to surmount the challenges before the first quarter of 2022.
He said that CCECC was working on plumbing, power supply and telecommunications on other stations within Lagos-Ibadan standards Gauge railway project.
He said that despite intervention of the Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, in July and payment of compensation, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) longroom building had not been demolished to give way for the construction of the other two lines to connect Apapa port.
The Projects Manager of T. E. A. M. Construction Company Nig. Ltd, Leonardo Portanova, said there was need to sustain the power supply in the railway station.
He said that the Lagos State Government was constructing seven overhead bridges while Team was to construct six overhead crossings, adding that both of them could not block the road at the same time.
