Commuters on the Abuja-Kaduna train service are soon to pay more as government explores ways to provide more passenger comfort on the route.Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi disclosed this to State House correspondents after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday.
Currently, a one way VIP ticket costs N1,500 while the regular ticket goes for N1,000 on the route.
The minister who did not give insight into what the new costs may be said passengers had even observed that the current fares on the route were too low.
He said the provision of additional two locomotives and 10 coaches would reduce the pressure on the route and eliminate the present ticket racketeering.
He said he met with the president to discuss the commissioning of the two locomotives and 10 coaches slated for Thursday in Kaduna.
He said: “We discussed the commissioning of 10 new coaches and 2 locomotives which will bring the total number of coaches to 14 on the Kaduna-Abuja route.
“The president is pleased with the arrangement because basically, we will then be able to discharge the passengers’ pressure that we have had.
“That is why you have ticket racketeering. When demand outstrips supply then you see all sorts of attempts to cheats the passengers.
“There are two things I know the president like I have mentioned one, the second one, is after commissioning even the passengers to agree that the cost of transportation to Kaduna via the railway is a bit too cheap.
“So, there will be a need to increase the price of the cost and then there will be more comfortable. More comfort in the sense that when you have excess seats multiply by the number of passengers that will come, then anybody that wants to racketeer will have to eat the tickets himself.”
The minister assured that one coach would be dedicated to express service on the Abuja-Kaduna route which could do a one-way trip at 115 to 120 minutes.
He said this would enable people to reside in Kaduna and commute to work daily in Abuja without being late for work.
Amaechi stated: “One thing I know is that one of the locomotives will be dedicated to direct trip from Kaduna to Abuja non-stop. That should be doing 115 or 120 minutes non-stop.
“That will enable those living in Kaduna and working in Abuja to actually come to work on time. If you leave at 6:00 am by 7:15 am, 7:20 am you should be in Abuja.”
President Buhari commissioned train services along the route in July 2016.
Its construction began under the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan which had implemented it to an advanced stage before the end of the administration.
One the “Cross Over” killings in Rivers state, the former Rivers governor accused Governor Nyesom Wike of encouraging violence for the sake of the future election.
He said: “I think the governor needs to get a bit more serious. He should stop encouraging the militant groups in the name of politics and election.
“You heard about 21 only in Omoku. What about in Akutoru where two people were killed? What about other LGAs? I think there should be much more than age to qualify to be a governor because it takes much more than age.
“I was governor of Rivers State. I did not play PDP/APC politics. Life is life, it has no symbol. Nobody has APC life or PDP life. The first responsibility of a governor which is what the oath of office requires is that you swear to protect lives and property.
“When you don’t protect life and property what do you do? Is impeachment. Unfortunately, there is no House of Assembly in Rivers State.
“Too much noise coming from Rivers State. The governor just wakes up and starts shouting, abusing people. That’s all he does. Mr. Project painting roads, the first thing you do is human capacity development and keeping human beings and we are losing lives every day.
“Two important men were kidnapped before I left Port Harcourt. The first person is Chief Adoke till today, nearly one month after nobody can tell you where he is. The next person is Chief Omogu was kidnapped. Luckily the villagers ran after the people and rescued the old man from the bush.
“It never happened when I was governor. We (the security and myself) ensured that we will not sleep at night. We stayed awake for then citizens to sleep. I think the governor needs to do much more than that or quit the office.”
He said unlike when he was governor of the state at which time he was stripped of security agents, Wike has every security outfit at his disposal to ensure security in Rivers state.
Asked what the governor was lacking, Amaechi responded: “I just don’t know because the things are there for him to work with. He is not like me when during my second term the President Goodluck Jonathan took away Police, SSS. The Army brigade commander couldn’t visit me but in his case, everyone is disposed to him.
“He can see the commissioner of Police, Director SSS, unlike my period but we fought insecurity.
“But because he needs these people for election purpose that is why they are still there, that is why they are killing. We need much more than that.
“Unfortunately, I swore not to be talking about Rivers anymore but you don’t keep quiet in the face of 21 one lives. You can’t just keep quiet.
“I have said it that nobody should criticize his successor. Let him do his beat but a successor that watches the lives of people go like that and does not care? God will bless him.”
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