The Federal Government plans to ban the movement of certain category of cargoes on some roads after the completion of major railways in the country.

The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, said this in Lagos during a panel session on infrastructure development and financing at an event organised by Deloitte on Nigeria Economic Outlook 2020.

“As soon as we finish these rail projects, there are some types of cargo that will not go on road, whether you like it or not,” he said.
While giving an account of ongoing rail construction and other new ones to be constructed, he said it was important to transfer the cargo movement to the rail track.

This, he said, would enable the roads to last longer.
He said railway transportation for passengers was usually subsidised but was uncertain if cargo would be subsidised, adding that the cost of construction must be paid back.

“No matter what we charge, it will not be the same as what we charge you on goods,” he said.
The minister said that movement of goods would be faster when they were moved by railways than roads, which would also be time-saving for businesses.

“When the FG does rail projects, it is the job of the state governments to do roads to (connect to) the different railway stations,” Amaechi added.
In their last meeting with the states governors, he said Transportation Ministry agreed that it could construct some level of roads that would take the passengers out of the stations.

He stressed that it was essentially the duty of the state governments and not the Federal Government to do the inner roads in their states.

The minister said that they also agreed that contractors could construct some few metres of roads out of the stations, but others were to be done by the state governments. will not be the same as what we charge you on goods,” he said.

Amaechi said the government was investing in human capital development to enable Nigerian citizens to take over the construction of railways in the country in the next five to 10 years.

While noting that currently, the Chinese engineers were involved in major construction projects in the country, he said about 150 Nigerians were being trained in China to develop knowledge in this area.

Ameachi said the Federal Government would build railway universities in the country, and bring English-speaking Chinese to teach in the institutions.

http://www.msn.com/en-xl/africa/nigeria/rail-fg-to-ban-heavy-cargo-transport-by-road/ar-BBZyAnL

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How safe will people's cargo be on the trains? What's the timeframe to achieve this? What are the alternatives?

I keep saying that Nigerians are vicious to themselves and their collective existence.

Surface solution to a deeper problem. Smh

That will be a wise decision by the government. Transportation of cargo by road is a major contributor in damaging our roads.
Moving cargo by rail like it's done in most civilised societies will prolong the lifespan of our roads and reduce incidents of accidents involving heavy duty vehicles.

Banning heavy cargo on our highways is d way to go if only all d rail lines would b completed on time and interconnected

Mokason28:
How safe will people's cargo be on the trains? What's the timeframe to achieve this? What are the alternatives?

I keep saying that Nigerians are vicious to themselves and their collective existence.

Surface solution to a deeper problem. Smh

It is a good initiative if it can be actualized. The issue of security will not be an issue because plans will be put in place in order to secure the rail tracks, just like we have police men on our major roads.

bowagateglobal:


It is a good initiative if it can be actualized. The issue of security will not be an issue because plans will be put in place in order to secure the rail tracks, just like we have police men on our major roads.

Are the rails connected to every were??
2.. What dey decide to call heavy might be different from what you and me call heavy.... you may start hearing things like light heavy, liquid heavy ETC ... SMH

Mokason28:

Are the rails connected to every were??
2.. What dey decide to call heavy might be different from what you and me call heavy.... you may start hearing things like light heavy, liquid heavy ETC ... SMH

Of a truth the rail tracks are not going to be every where but we suppose they are going to pass through strategic areas which will make movement of these heavy cargos shorter. Just like the minister said, roads are going to be built in conjunction with state Government to the train stations to enable easy access.

Whether is heavy cargo or light heavy, it does not matter so far as the plans for this are well thought of, planned and executed to accommodate every kind of light or heavy cargos.
Some of the advantage is that if heavy duty vehicles are reduced on our roads by this means, the life span of our roads will increase, accidents will reduce, traffic will be reduced, maintenance of these roads will be easier etc.