LAGOS – Senator Said Alkali, Minister of Transportation, on a surprise visit to the Kubwa (Abuja) Train Station on Monday, last week, has expressed dismay that many staff members were not at their duty post when the work day was not yet ended, the station was almost shut down, the luggage security scanners not working and power supply not on.
The Honourable Minister of Transportation, while undertaking an unscheduled inspection of the Kubwa (Abuja) Train Station also challenged the design of the train station which does not give easy access to the physically challenged and the elderly to use train services.
Even though the Minister disclosed that his visit was informed primarily by the report of vandalism of the main power supply from the national grid to the Train Station, plunging the Kubwa Train Station into darkness, necessitating the management to rely on alternative sources to power their operations.
He also added that he is also there; “to see that the security and welfare of passengers are not compromised.”
The minister thereafter proceeded to see the vandalized power installation and was taken round by the station manager.
For the vandalized power installation, Senator Alkali urged a quick liaison between the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) and the station manager with Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) for a quick restoration and to ensure more security for the facility.
Further inspecting more of the station’s facilities, Senator Alkali discovered that the staircase that passengers use when disembarking from trains coming inward to Kubwa, Abuja from Rigasa in Abuja, are not friendly to the physically challenged and the elderly.
There is no escalator. Senator Alkali saw this as an error of design, which did not consider the physically challenged and the elderly. He, there, and then asked the Director, Rail Services, to note so that the right things could be done “at the level of the Ministry, the NRC, and the contractor.”
The minister also inspected the communication rooms where he got to know that the communication equipment installed there had stopped working. As well, one of the two installed luggage security scanners has also stopped working. The one which was working, the Minister asked, should be powered for him to observe how it works.
The convenience at the train station was also not spared. The Minister wants more attention given to the convenience to ensure that services to the users of the train station are top-notch.
The Minister also expressed the view that the car park at the Kubwa Train Station was poorly maintained, with flood waters adding more woes to the potholes that dotted the motor park.
In Alkali’s words, after the inspection, we have taken note of several facilities that should serve the users of the station. We will be retreating to the office to do the needful at the level of the ministry, the Railway Corporation, and of course, the contractor, to see how we can fix” the facility.
The inspection visit of the Honourable Minister was undertaken in the company of his Permanent Secretary, Adeleye Adeoye; the Director, Rail Transport Services, Engr. Fimbarr Zirarr; the Director, Press and Public Relations, and aides of the Minister, with Engr. Fidet Okhiria, the Managing Director of Nigeria Railway Corporation, who joined on time for the inspection.
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