The Managing Director of the Nigeria Railway Corporation, Dr. Kayode Opeifa, has stated that the role of railway transportation to economic development in the country cannot be overemphasized.
Speaking in an interview on a news medium, Opeifa highlighted the significance of the railway system beyond its immediate transportation function, emphasising its role in binding the diverse Nigerian populace.
He warned against the vandalism of railway infrastructure, asserting that these critical components are not mere scrap materials, but invaluable national assets essential for the country’s unity and economic development.
Talking about the persistent challenge of vandalism, particularly the theft of railway materials, the NRC MD stated, “We don’t have scraps in the Nigerian railway; we have national assets.”
He distinguished discarded waste and the functional, integrative infrastructure that forms the backbone of the nation’s connectivity.
The Managing Director recounted encountering similar issues internationally, but pointed out a unique local problem.
According to him, “I was at a conference in South Africa I think in the month of April and I was shocked that people are even stealing electric cables that power their trade,” he noted, contrasting it with the prevalent issue in Nigeria, where “they steal the steel and call it scrap.”
Opeifa, while speaking further, stressed the destructive impact of such acts, explaining that these “scraps” are in fact fundamental elements that facilitate national cohesion.
“Those are the assets that link our people by culture, by religion, by tribe to each other. Through those tracks, you can transit from Lagos to Osogbo speaking Yoruba. You’ve got to learn speaking further when you get to Ilorin to Mokua and Niger, you change to Nupe from Nupe you start speaking Hausa and go further to speak Igbo.
“You speak fulfulde in Kaura Namoda or some other language when you go to the other side you are speaking kalabari, you speak Edo then if you want to go further, you speak Hebrew and you move further you start speaking Tiv and when you get to Maiduguri, you are speaking Kanuri”, he said.
The NRC MD underscored that any act of vandalism is akin to striking at the very core of Nigeria’s national identity. “Anybody vandalising them is like going to the heart of our people, the integration that binds us together,” he lamented.
He appealed directly to local communities situated along the railway corridors, urging them to take ownership and ensure the survival of these vital assets.
The NRC boss pointed out that rail lines often transform surrounding areas into major cities, thereby serving the direct interests of the local populace. “Every part the railway passes through becomes a major city so it is in the interest of the locals too to make sure the railway survives,” he added.