The Federal Government has urged private investors to establish a logistics value-chain in the Warri-Itakpe rail station, maintaining that tapping into the rail environment will open more opportunities into other business corridors.
This was disclosed by the permanent secretary, Ministry of Transportation, Dr. Magdalene Ajani, when she embarked on fact-finding tour of the Warri-Itakpe rail line following reports of logistics shortfall and poor service delivery along the corridor.
Ajani called on the hospitality sector to listen to proposals from private investors with interest in venturing into opening up hotels and guest houses at all rail stations.
“We are trying to get private investors to, at least, build hotels in virtually all our stations. So, if for any reason people come in late, they can check into those hotels. Those who want to catch the early trains can also spend the night there and, in the morning, board their train to their destination,” she said.
Ajani, who noted some lapses in the line-up, stressed that the government cannot drive investment in the sector alone, but needs support and partnership with the private sector to make the sector lucrative.
According to her, government can’t do everything but we are trying to see to ensure that private individual’s partner with us and build these hotels at the stations.
She further tasked the leadership of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) to constitute itself properly and set up motor parks where passengers can conveniently get available vehicles to their destinations upon alighting from the train.
She applauded the youths who organised themselves into a vanguard to protect railway infrastructure from vandals and assured them of the government’s willingness to give them logistical assistance once the Nigeria Railway Corporation’s proposal is approved.
