FG to Approve N498m for Luggage Scanners at Railway Stations
The Federal Government has approved the procurement and installation of luggage scanners in all railway stations in Abuja, Kaduna and Kano.
They include eight colour-imaging Xray scanners, eight body scanners and metal detectors as well as 50 hand-held scanners.
The Minister of State for Transportation, Ademola Adegoroye, who briefed State House correspondents after the week’s Federal Executive Council meeting, said the procurement would cost N498m.
Speaking at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Adegoroye said the new installation was part of the Federal Government ongoing programme to enhance railway transport safety.
The Buhari regime said it had aggressively developed railway infrastructure nationwide but the activities of bandits and terrorists have affected rail transportation in recent times.
On March 28, 2022, terrorist linked to the Boko Haram sect attacked a Kaduna-bound train leaving eight passengers dead while 41 persons were kidnapped.
Consequently, the Nigerian Railway Service halted all train services along the Abuja-Kaduna route for eight months.
Operations resumed in January 2023 amidst tight security and more skepticism amongst passengers.
Adegoroye who spoke on Wednesday said the devices were necessary due to the need to secure lives and property on the rail.
He said, “So, today there was a memo before the Council for the provision of baggage scanners at railway stations and I’m happy to inform you that the Council agreed with us and has approved that contract for scanners to be installed at railway stations so that when people get there and have goods, then they can pass through the scanners and they can be sure that there’s nothing that can destroy, that can cause violence or inflict danger or bring lives and property at stake.
“You’ll all agree with me that in view of the process of securing lives and property, such equipment has to be installed at our railway stations.
“Since we’re starting railway revolution, we are trying to put in place a lot of things with the railways. We don’t want people to come and damage all that the government has been trying to put in place in that sector,”
The minister said the council also approved the contract for towing services at the Lekki Deep Seaport and Dangote Jetty.
He explained that “You will recall that the Lekki Deep Seaport was commissioned by the President a couple of months back and so because one of the statutory responsibilities of the NPA is the provision of marine services, the need has arisen for a company that can carry out towing services that will make things easier in the ports, such as ship berthing and discharge of goods.
“Of course, there was this argument that why would the companies that provide such services at the Apapa and Tin-Can ports not just go and do it. One, we think it may overstretch that company because they may not have the capacity to cope and second, we want Lekki Deep Seaport and Dangote Jetty to be able to perform maximally.
“So the Federal Executive Council has given a 10 year concession to Messrs Arcuff to carry out two-way services at Lekki Deep Seaport and Dangote Jetty.”
