September 30, 2014 – About 1000 Nigerians will be gainfully employed by the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) once ongoing rehabilitation of seven moribund workshops across the country are completed.
Assistant Director, Public Relations, Mr. David Ndakotsu who made the revelation in Lagos said management of the corporation has commenced the rehabilitation of the dilapidated workshops in all the seven districts that make up the corporation.
He said the workshops are situated at Ebute Metta Terminus, Lagos Terminus, Ibadan Terminus, Zaria Terminus, Bauchi Terminus, Enugu Terminus and Kafanchan Terminus.
He explained that the workshops are being retooled and modernized to compliment the entire railway rehabilitation and modernization programme currently going on in phases.
“NRC is currently partnering with some foreign firms to rehabilitate its pattern, foundry and smithy workshop to reduce to the barest minimum dependence on foreign materials that have impact on rolling stock availability. Such materials among others are brake blocks, brake hangers, brake block pin, hand brakes check chains, draw bars, coil and leaf springs (Shock absorbers).
“The modernization of the Ebute Metta workshop also include the use of electricity as a source of heat in furnances and various castings and forgings. It also handles most Railway rolling stocks and other spare parts needs. The Ebute Metta workshop handles sand casting, permanent casting, centrifugal casting and investment casting. Precisely two years ago, the corporation imported and installed two overhead cranes in its Ebute Metta locomotive workshop and one overhead crane at the Enugu locomotive workshop,” he said.
