President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the naming of the Railway Complex in Agbor, Delta State, after former President Goodluck Jonathan. The Railway Complex is to be called Goodluck Jonathan Railway Station and Complex.
The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, disclosed this while inspecting the Warri-Itakpe Rail Line on Saturday.
The presidential approval on the name change for the rail station in Delta State was also confirmed by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Digital and New Media, Tolu Ogunlesi, on Twitter.
Ogunlesi said, “President Buhari has approved the naming of the railway complex in Agbor – the operational hub of the Itakpe-Warri rail line – after former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.”
BREAKING | President @MBuhari has approved the naming of the Railway Complex in Agbor – the operational hub of #ItakpeWarriRail Line – after former President @GEJonathan. It will be known as the Goodluck Jonathan Railway Station & Complex — Minister of Transport, @ChibuikeAmaechi
— tolu ogunlesi (@toluogunlesi) July 18, 2020
Speaking to journalists during the inspection, Amaechi said the Warri-Itakpe rail line was ready for use, adding that it would be inaugurated by the President.
He also said railway fares would double as a result of measures put in place to halt the spread of COVID-19 when services begin on rail lines, especially on the Abuja-Kaduna line.
He said Buhari gave the approval and urged the Nigerian Railway Corporation to adequately manage the facility once it took it over from the contractors.
“It (Agbor station) was named after Goodluck Jonathan and the President approved it. Agbor station and the yard were named after (former) President Jonathan,” Amaechi stated.
The minister expressed satisfaction with the quality of work done on the rail line.
He said, “Both Julius Berger, CCECC and our team have all done a good job. We will know if NRC has done a good job when they manage it properly because the issue is maintenance.
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“I don’t want to come here in the next four or five years and it looks worn out. I have seen the toilet facilities; they look good but typical of us, I hope in the next five years, it will be intact because in Kubwa (Abuja) now, those things look worn out.”
Today, we continued test-run of our new coaches on the completed Itakpe-Warri standard gauge rail line.
We've named the largest station on this route – the Agbor railway facility and station after former President Goodluck Jonathan. pic.twitter.com/RZ8HtnigLi
— Chibuike.R. Amaechi (@ChibuikeAmaechi) July 18, 2020
On the recommencement of rain services, Amaechi said there must be physical distancing among passengers on the coaches, adding that this would warrant a hike in fares.
He said, “This test run will make us go back to the drawing board and the first thing we will put in place when we get approval is that the cost of transportation from Abuja to Kaduna will double.’’
