Cow Transportation by Railway
The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) is set to resume the transportation of cattle across the country by rail, a service that was suspended in 2017 due to technical challenges. This announcement was made by NRC Managing Director, Fidet Okhiria, during an interview on Channels Television on Wednesday, July 10.
Okhiria revealed that the movement of cattle, along with other goods, will commence with the Warri-Itakpe route. The NRC, primarily known for its passenger services, is reviving this initiative as part of its efforts to modernize goods transportation within Nigeria. The Warri-Itakpe route connects Itakpe, a town in Kogi State, with Warri, located in Delta State.
The NRC Managing Director explained that herders would soon be able to move their cattle using the Warri-Itakpe train services. He emphasized that this development is expected within the next one to two months. To facilitate this, the NRC has introduced specialized wagons designed for livestock transportation, which are currently being assembled in Kajola, Oyo State.
Okhiria stated, “We’ve built 15 wagons for livestock, and maybe in the next month or two, they will be deployed from Itakpe to Warri to drive the economy.” This initiative aims to enhance the efficiency of transporting goods from the northern parts of Nigeria to the southern regions, particularly to the South-South geopolitical zone.
The NRC’s investment in railway infrastructure is seen as a strategic move to boost the social and economic benefits for the Nigerian populace rather than focusing solely on direct financial profits. Okhiria underscored that the ultimate goal is to facilitate the seamless movement of goods and foster connections between cities, which will, in turn, yield indirect economic benefits.
“You are not developing transportation because you want to make profit in terms of naira and kobo but the profit will come indirectly if we can move goods and link cities,” Okhiria noted.
This development is a significant step towards enhancing the transportation infrastructure in Nigeria and supporting the agricultural sector by providing a reliable and efficient means of moving livestock and other goods across the country.
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