By Idu Jude
Owing to the disappointing operation of the imported locomotive engine designated for Abuja/Kaduna rail line last week, Federal Government of Nigeria, has tendered an unreserved apology to the train users over the unfortunate incident.
Recall that thousands of passengers were stranded over hours due to failed engine along kaduna/ Abuja route.
The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, while addressing journalists Monday at Ibadan shortly after inspection of ongoing Lagos /Ibadan rail line, said “I would like to apologise to Nigerians over what’s happening at Abuja to kaduna line. Its worrisome in the sense that they are brand new locomotives. We may be forced to bring back our old locomotives to continue if these new once should fail.
“The locomotives are under warranty. We have called the Chinese to come back for the locomotives that are bad or have failed more than two or three times and the response to that on behalf of government and on behalf of the ministry and NRC, we apologize to Nigerians and we have told the Nigeria Railway Corporation NRC to either fix it or get the chinese to fix it. And if that is happening, then they should bring back the old locomotives. It may therefore affect the number of times we are able to run because we just brought those locomotives to increase passenger services.
“This is a new locomotive that has gone bad.even if we have the expertise to repair it and we do have this expertise, the truth is that NRC just sent engineers to fix it, but we should be worried that brand new locomotives that we bought failed. We are saying this is brand new, it shouldn’t fail by now, it shoud be failing after 3 to 5 years. There is a warranty and we have to call them back”
