₦airaland Forum

The Nigeria Railway Corporation, NRC, has concluded plans to kickstart night operations before the second quarter of 2024.

The Managing Director of NRC, Fidet Okhiria, disclosed this during a recent interview with NAN.

However, he said insecurity is the major hindrance to the commencement of night operations.

He stated that, “what is limiting us is the night operations, and that is not the way trains should operate. The train is meant to operate at all times. People may like to travel in the evening, but because of the security situation in the country, we limit ourselves to the daytime.

“We intend to bring back passenger and freight trains from Port-Harcourt to Aba, Lagos to Kano, and Kaduna because of the dry ports.

“We are going to increase the number of train trips to six on Lagos-Ibadan, Warri-Itakpe, and Abuja-Kaduna, which means the trips will be three times to and three times from, making six trips in a day.”

“The trips will commence before the second quarter of 2024 Right now, they are running four trips—two up and two down across the board”, Okhiria said

Akinboboz:
Thought there's army check point in the socalled chibok own abi nah audio one dey there.

mistacoco2:
Hello guys,

For some days now I have been on a serious dilemma whether to resign from my federal government job that pays me above N200k for my current position and migrate to the UK or stay in naija and set up a business to augment my salary. I will be 34 years next year, I feel traveling to the uk for studies next year September will delay my chances of getting married, as I have planned not exceeding 34 years without getting married.

I belong to the school of thought that believes can make it in Nigeria despite all odds. However, considering the economic realities of the country, I have recently contemplating of japa and maybe get a Nigerian lady for marriage after my studies.

Please I earnestly need matured advice from you guys to know how to start the coming year.

AllahOfBlood:


Serious Jihad going on in Nigeria and Shettima
Hell rufia knows about it, and perhaps the murderers acted on their instructions

BlakKluKluxKlan:
Says an empty head

In a nationwide broadcast on Monday, President Bola Tinubu addressed Nigerians on the celebration of the New Year, 2024.

The president outlined in his speech the objectives of his administration for 2024 as well as his broadened plans for Nigerians in the new year.

In his New Year’s speech, he reminisced on his journey to becoming president and praised Nigeria’s 24 years of uninterrupted democracy. He assessed his achievements in the last seven months since taking office, highlighting his efforts to prevent what he called a fiscal catastrophe from befalling Nigeria.


Tinubu talked about making difficult choices, such as eliminating fuel subsidies and relieving a small number of people who were choking Nigeria’s foreign exchange system, which benefited only the wealthy. He acknowledged that these two choices caused discomfort to Nigerians, however, he said that hard times don’t last.

In 2024, Tinubu said his administration will focus on accelerating the pace of service delivery across sectors. In this report, Vanguard has compiled highlights of the promises made by the president to Nigerians in his 2024 speech.

1. Reliable supply of electricity
Tinubu on electricity suply: “Just this past December during COP28 in Dubai, the German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, and I agreed and committed to a new deal to speed up the delivery of the Siemens Energy power project that will ultimately deliver reliable supply of electricity to our homes and businesses under the Presidential Power Initiative which began in 2018.

“Other power installation projects to strengthen the reliability of our transmission lines and optimise the integrity of our National grid are ongoing across the country.

“My administration recognises that no meaningful economic transformation can happen without steady electricity supply.”

2. Restart local refining of petroleum
Speaking on local refineries, he said, “In 2024, we are moving a step further in our quest to restart local refining of petroleum products with Port Harcourt Refinery, and the Dangote Refinery which shall fully come on stream.”

3. Boost food supply
In this New Year, Tinubu pledged to accelerate efforts to cultivate 500,000 hectares of farmlands nationwide to grow maize, rice, wheat, millet, and other staple crops in order to guarantee a steady supply, security, and affordability of food.


His words, “To ensure constant food supply, security and affordability, we will step up our plan to cultivate 500,000 hectares of farmlands across the country to grow maize, rice, wheat, millet and other staple crops. We launched the dry season farming with 120,000 hectares of land in Jigawa State last November under our National Wheat Development Programme.”


4. Boost local, and foreign investments
With regard to making Nigeria a preferred location for both domestic and foreign investments this New Year, Tinubu pledges to clear any obstacles in the way.

“In this new year, we will race against time to ensure all the fiscal and tax policies reforms we need to put in place are codified and simplified to ensure the business environment does not destroy value. On every foreign trip I have embarked on, my message to investors and other business people has been the same. Nigeria is ready and open for business.

“I will fight every obstacle that impedes business competitiveness in Nigeria and I will not hesitate to remove any clog hindering our path to making Nigeria a destination of choice for local and foreign investments.” – Tinubu

5. Actualisation of 8 priority areas in 2024 budget: Security, job creation, poverty reduction, others
“In my 2024 Budget presentation to the National Assembly, I listed my administration’s 8 priority areas to include national defence and internal security, job creation, macro-economic stability, investment environment optimization, human capital development, poverty reduction and social security.


“Because we take our development agenda very seriously, our 2024 budget reflects the premium we placed on achieving our governance objectives.” Tinubu noted.

9japride:
[/color]

That's just the truth.

madridguy:
PDP lost Pleateau state on Monday...
Plateau fell into chaos on Tuesday...

If your head was calm and your heart wasn't beating with hatred and fear, maybe you would have noticed..

Biodun556:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9EQ3pWutGg?si=qI5cayfOQp6e8Gyr

Railway debt servicing cost exceeded revenue by 1,208.5 per cent in the first half of 2023, an analysis of debt service documents has shown.

In the first half of 2023, the government spent $38.59m (N29.98bn at N777/$) on servicing debt for loans obtained to build the Nigeria Railway Modernisation Project (Idu Kaduna Section) and Nigeria Railway Modernisation Project( Lagos – Ibadan Section).

At that time frame, the total railway revenue was N2.29bn according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics. In the first quarter of 2023, a total of 441,725 passengers travelled via the rail system, a 53.65 per cent increase from the 953,099 reported in the corresponding quarter of 2022.

In terms of revenues, the NBS said, “In terms of revenue generation, N768.44m was received from passengers over the period, lower by 63.02 per cent relative to N2.08bn in the same quarter of the previous year. Similarly, N181.27m was collected in Q1 2023 as revenue from goods/cargos, up by 99.28 per cent from N90.96m received in Q1 2022.




“In addition, other receipts amounted to N34.17m, indicating a decline of 41.02 per cent in Q1 2023, from the N57.92m collected in Q1 2022.”

By Q2, the number of passengers travelling by rail increased to 474,117 passengers and the volume of goods/cargo transported rose to 56,029 tons.

Commenting on revenues, the statistics body stated, “In terms of revenue generation, N1.10bn was received from passengers during the reference period, showing an increase of 83.88 per cent from the N598.74m recorded in the same quarter of the previous year.

“Similarly, N188.03m was collected from goods/cargos conveyed in Q2 2023, up by 105.04 per cent from N91.70m received in Q2 2022. In addition, other receipts amounted to N18.74m, indicating a decline of 62.31 per cent in Q2 2023 from the N49.73m collected in Q2 2022.”

Low revenue from railway services has been attributed to insecurity and ticketing issues (with the paper tickets still a thing in the country). Recently, the House of Representatives decried low revenue generation from the Nigerian Railway Corporation.

This observation, which was blamed on ticket racketeering, was shared when the Managing Director of the NRC, Fidet Okhiria, appeared before the House of Representatives Committee on Finance recently during the 2024–2026 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper interactive session.

The Minister of Transportation, Saidu Alkali, recently disclosed that e-ticketing would boost railway revenue in the country.

He said, “The essence of E-ticketing is to make it easy for our passengers to buy tickets, for security purposes and to stop ticket racketeering. it will also ensure the security of our passengers onboard the train and avoid racketeering.”

A recent The PUNCH report stated that the Federal Government intends to make N7.01bn from train passengers by 2025.

iwaeda:
The swearing-in ceremony of Mr Lucky Aiyedatiwa as the Governor of Ondo State is currently ongoing in Akure, the state capital.

This development followed the demise of the state governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, on Wednesday.

Akeredolu died in Germany at the age of 67 after battling prostate cancer, the state government disclosed in a statement.

The statement issued by the state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mrs Bamidele Ademola-Olateju read, “With a heavy heart, the Ondo State Government announces the passing of our beloved Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, CON



Ibadan Family Where Dad, Mum, Two Children Are Vulcanisers | Punch
“Mr. Governor peacefully departed from this world in the early hours of today, Wednesday, December 27, 2023. This tragedy has left behind a profound void in our hearts.

“Governor Akeredolu answered the eternal call while receiving medical treatment in Germany. He succumbed to complications arising from protracted prostate cancer.”

Akeredolu had embarked on two separate medical vacations, the first on April 3, 2023, and the second on July 10, 2023. On September 7, he made his way back to the country and promptly notified the state House of Assembly.


PUNCH Online earlier reported that the state Chief Judge, Justice Olusegun Odusola, was expected to preside over the exercise.

Aiyedatiwa was the deputy governor until Wednesday, December 13 when power was formally transferred to him after Akeredolu went on another medical vacation.
https://punchng.com/breaking-ondo-begins-swearing-in-of-aiyedatiwa-as-gov/