By Albert Akota
The Federal Government in demonstration of its commitment to revitalize and ensure sustainability of the ongoing railway modernization project has commissioned the Kajola Wagon Assembly Plant in Ogun State.
President Muhammadu Buhari who performed the commissioning of the project, coordinated by the Federal Ministry of Transportation expressed immense pleasure over project which was conceived and flagged off in 2019, by the Vice President Prof. Yemi Osibanjo.
President further said it will not only generate the needed employment but will boost economic opportunities for the citizenry as it will promote and develop local capacity in Assembling and Manufacturing of Rolling Stock.
The President who was represented by the Minister of Transportation, Mu’azu Jaji Sambo, said the project is in compliance with the Presidential Executive Order No. 5 that stipulates “companies’ involvement in infrastructure development within the country.
According to the President, the Locomotive and Rolling Depot has the capacity to produce 500 Wagons per year of Open Wagons, Container Flat Wagons and Box Wagons, adding that the first set of Wagons assembled in Nigeria are being rolled out for freight services.
Also speaking at the occasion, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Transportation, Dr. Magdalene Ajani, said:
“there is no gainsaying that this is one of the landmark legacies of the Administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, designed to ensure the sustainability of railway development in the country”.
In his remarks, the Managing Director, Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Fidet Okhiria, who was obviously overjoyed said the plant was a dream come true, adding that it would serve as a source for replacement of faulty wagons instead of sourcing them overseas.
Okhiria, said some wagons had been delivered to NRC for trials, and have been tested and confirmed as meeting international standards.
