Provide Protective Equipment For Rail Workers, Union Tells NRC

As the Federal government contemplates on reopening of Nigerian Railway service, Nigerian Union of Railway Workers (NUR) has called on government through management of Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) to put all safety and preventive protocols in proper perspectives before bringing the trains back on track.

The union in a statement signed by the Secretary General of NUR Comrade Segun Esan noted that safety of workers and passengers are paramount adding that the union will not be favourably disposed to whatever situation that will in any way undermine health of workers and passengers.

He reiterated the fact that the railways enjoys a market share of 4,000 passengers daily on the Abuja to Kaduna rail corridor and generally about 3 million passengers as well as 150 tons of cargo annually.

The scribe advised the management to put in place effective safety and preventive measures in all train stations across the Nigerian Railway system in order to curb spread of coronavirus disease through person to person contact either at train stations or on train.

He also suggested that all front line workers like locomotive engine driving crew, ticket checkers, station masters and mechanical staff are provided personal protective equipment.

According to Esan, adequate health care facilities should be provided within railway industrial clinic to serve as care and isolation centres where covid cases can be treated promptly.

While the federal government is contemplating reopening of train services, he called for rehabilitation of Port-Harcourt (Eastern line), rail track so as to evolve a rail transport sub-sector that can play traditional role as the infrastruction backbone and mainstay of the transport economy.

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