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The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) on Monday called on petroleum product
dealers and companies to patronise the corporation’s tank wagons in lifting
their products.
Mr. Fidet Okhiria, Managing Director, NRC, made the plea
while addressing newsmen in Lagos.
would be eliminated with effective rail transport.
backdrop of the tanker explosion, which occurred on Otedola Bridge at Ojodu
Berger Area on June 28, where several persons reportedly lost their lives and
property.
wagons would take 20 petroleum tanker trucks off the road in a day.
boss, who noted that the corporation was not getting enough patronage from
petroleum dealers, said that the 40 tank wagons of the NRC were lying idle at
the corporation’s head office in Lagos.
petroleum sector began, we planned ahead that we will be lifting petroleum
products if we get customers. So we decided to buy petroleum tank wagons.
the first year, we bought 20 tank wagons. In the second year, we bought another
20. “However, we didn’t get the expected patronage from the petroleum
companies, maybe because many of them had invested heavily on trucks to carry
their products by road,” he said.
approached the corporation to help move petroleum products from Apapa to
Oshogbo, adding that the tank wagons have been lying idle since they were
bought.
needless, urged petroleum dealers to encourage government’s investments in tank
wagons.
happened around Ojodu Berger would not be happening in this country.
petroleum tanker trucks on the roads means likelihood of such accidents
happening.
with the petroleum companies and dealers, to reduce the hazards of moving
petroleum products in the country.
tank wagons, if they don’t have faith in our own, and we will allow them access
to use our rail tracks.
here and there, movement of petroleum products by rail remains the safest
approach,’’ Okhiria said.
were enough to meet the demands of the petroleum dealers, the NRC boss said
that safety should be the priority.
being utilised, government would have bought more.
demands of the petroleum dealers because we only have 40 product tank wagons,
but if patronised, we can reduce the hazards on the highway.
do for now is two trips a day, that is 20 tank wagons for a company and the
other 20 tank wagons for another oil company.
safer because the tracks are on earth and the wagon are all air brakes.” (NAN)