The Nigeria Railway Corporation has been forced to reduce the number of trips on the Lagos-Ibadan Train Service by about 66.67 percent, due to the hike in diesel price.
It was also gathered that the corporation had sent recommendations to the Federal Ministry of Transportation for an adjustment in the transport fare on the train service.
NRC Managing Director, Fidget Okhiria, told our correspondent that though the service was still running, its trips had been reduced due to the persistent hike in diesel price.
Diesel prices have risen by over 300 percent in a few months, forcing transporters of petrol, who power their trucks with diesel, to threaten strike before the prompt intervention of the Federal Government.
Speaking on the impact of the high cost of diesel in the rail sector, Okhiria told our correspondent that the NRC had to cut down its trips, particularly on the Lagos-Ibadan route.
“The Lagos-Ibadan train service is running but we have reduced the number of trips on that route because of the diesel problem. We reduced the number of trips we are running because of the hike in diesel price,” he stated.
Asked whether the NRC would raise its transport fare as a result of the increase in diesel price, the corporation’s boss stated that it was outside the powers of the corporation to hike fares.
