The Senate, on Thursday, inaugurated an ad-hoc committee to investigate the contracts and execution of railway projects across the country. The Senate acknowledged fresh concerns over the deteriorating state of operations on key routes.
Senator Abdul Ningi, PDP, representing Bauchi Central, raised a point of order under Order 42, drawing the attention of the federal lawmakers to the “tragic situation” of the Kano–Kaduna rail line.
Ningi observed that the frequency of train services on the route had dropped drastically to one trip per day, while travel time for cargo had increased from about one hour and 30 minutes to nearly three hours.
Senator Adamu Aliero, APC, Kebbi Central, expressed that the reduction in trips was partly due to extensive damage to rail infrastructure caused by bandit attacks.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio disagreed with the view that funding was the main constraint. Instead, he argued that the core issue lay in the age and quality of the rail infrastructure, describing some sections as substandard.
He said the situation warranted a comprehensive legislative investigation into how railway contracts were awarded and implemented.
The investigation is expected to cover project design, funding, execution standards and maintenance structures.
