The Federal Government has assured of the purchase of more coaches in the country as the rail sector is receiving greater attention from Nigerians.
Dr Magdalene Ajani, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation, said this on Friday, while responding to complaints by some passengers as she was inspecting facilities at Agenebode rail station in Kogi State.
The ministry is embarking on inspection of railway stations running through Kogi, Edo and Delta states to ascertain their operations.
The team of officials led by Ajani from the ministry, visited other rail stations, including Agbor in Delta, Igbanke, Ekenhe, Uromi, Itogbo in Edo and Itakpe and Ajaokuta stations in Kogi.
Some of the challenges at some rail stations included lack of boreholes to supply water, lack of office furniture, electricity, lack of chairs for the passengers and no permanent police post among others.
Addressing the passengers and station managers, Ajani appealed to them to bear with the government as the projects were procured through loans.
She said that the government was not running to make any gain but to maintain the facilities and pay back the loans.
“I am assuring you that with time, things will come down, the increase in fares is due to the cost of running the rail.
”Government will address all these challenges which is the aim of this inspection, to ensure passengers are comfortable, ” she said.
Meanwhile, Mr Kingsley John, a passenger, who appreciated the Federal Government for its efforts to revamp the rail sector, appealed to the government to ensure the sustainability of the projects across the country.
Another passenger, Mrs Elizabeth Mathew, said she was worried over the sudden increase in the fare from N1, 000, which was paid before to N2, 000 and N3, 000, from Kogi to Delta.
“It is worrisome on the sudden increase in the transport fare, I want government to please consider that the rail initiative is meant to ease transportation fare for Nigerians”, she said.
