The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has joined hands with the Bayelsa State Government to revive the moribund Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) foundry at Ebute Metta Lagos.
The plans were disclosed amidst the ongoing 3-days National Transport Summit of the Chattered Institute of Transport Administration of Nigeria, CIOTA in Abuja by NIMASA’s Director-General Dr Bashir Jamoh.
Initially built by the colonial administration, the foundry used to serve as NRC spare parts support until production went to a halt in the 1980s. Later, it will be turned into a site for recycling shipwrecks from the country’s waterways, which once completed, can create jobs for estimated 1,000 Nigerians.
“The foundry still has its staff, and we are determined to open it up again through public-private partnerships because we don’t want to waste the resources of government,” said Dr Jamoh.
As of date, a Memorandum of Understanding (Mou) has been signed with the Bayelsa State Government and a South African company to run the project, with the wreck removal exercise already in progress.
Jamoh added that the collected wrecks will be brought to the foundry, where they will be melted and produced into iron to be used for the rail lines, spare parts, bolts, and nuts.
