Mr Modibbo said the train services, when fully operational, would create jobs for Abia youths as well as provide alternative means of transportation to the populace.
By Jeffrey Agbo
Abia State Governor Alex Otti has expressed his desire to see train services return to the eastern tracks after many years of inactivity.
The governor told officials of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Eastern District who came on a business visit to him on Wednesday that rail used to be the most viable means of transportation in the country but suddenly disappeared in the last three decades.
He promised that Abia would support the corporation to function in the state and requested that they continue to update him with developments regarding the ongoing rehabilitation of the rail tracks in the state.
The governor pledged to address the request for security and to further engage the people on the need to protect railway installations in their localities.
He warned that any person caught engaging in vandalisation of railway tracks would be dealt with.
Earlier, the railway District Manager, Modibbo Mohammed, who led the team, said their visit was to brief the Governor about the ongoing rehabilitation of the railway tracks from Port Harcourt to Aba.
Modibbo stated that the first phase of the laying of new rail tracks, covering 63kms from Port Harcourt to Aba, would be completed by the end of this year while the second phase from Aba to Umuahia would be delivered in the first quarter of 2024.
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He solicited the support of the governor in tackling the issue of vandalisation of the rail tracks stacked in some locations in the state and appealed for a patrol vehicle to assist them in security.
Mr Modibbo said the train services, when fully operational, would create jobs for Abia youths as well as provide alternative means of transportation to the populace.
He commended the governor for the infrastructural development witnessed in the state within his short time in office.
The Principal Secretary to the Governor/Chief Strategy Officer, Chinenye Mba-Uzoukwu; the Commissioner for Power and Public Utilities, Ikechukwu Monday; Commissioner for Information and Culture, Prince Okey Kanu; Commissioner for Trade, Commerce and Industry, Chimezie Ukaegbu; Commissioner for Transport, Comrade Sunny Onwuma; Special Adviser to the Governor on Trade, Commerce and Industry, Nwaka Inem; Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Due process, Oluebube Chukwu; the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Homeland Security, Chukwunenye Alajemba, among others were present during the meeting.