The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) says no legitimate trader will lose out as a result of the planned facelift of the Iddo Train Station by the corporation’s management.
The Managing Director of NRC, Dr Kayode Opeifa, gave the assurance in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Lagos.
Opeifa said this in a meeting with the leaders of the Iddo Train Terminus Traders, Ijora Olopa/Ajeloro Fish Traders, Ifelodun Traders and Otto Traders, operating in and around the Iddo Train Terminus, at the NRC headquarters.
Opeifa said he had invited the traders to assure them of the safety of their businesses and investments following the planned facelift for the nation’s old train station.
“The exercise may affect some shanties, however, it is regrettable that many of the traders have operated for several years at the various markets illegally.
“Some of these traders operate without valid documents, while others who claimed to be paying, were paying to the wrong people.
“The present administration of the NRC is determined to transform the Iddo Train Station, we have started with some paintings of the terminus and let me assure you that we are bringing back the trains to serve our people,” he said.
Opeifa expressed regrets that people are already building on railway tracks without any approval from the corporation.
“It is our desire to contribute to helping to improve the value of where you trade.
“Iddo is dirty. There is no electricity and no toilet facilities. We are working very hard to ensure we bring back these facilities. I have created a business unit for Iddo because of the priority we have set for the place.
“We are determined to flush out drug traffickers from all our landed property at Iddo and we are assuring you that the place will no longer be a hideout for criminals.
“The time the rightful tenants of our property benefits from Iddo has finally come. We will leave no stone unturned in achieving a total transformation of Iddo Train Terminus,” he said.
He assured the traders that the corporation was not going to increase rent on any of its property around the area.
Opeifa also emphasised the need for the corporation to have records of all its tenants at Iddo.
“All tenants will now be paying directly to the Nigerian Railway Property Management Company Ltd.,” he said.
Leaders of the traders expressed happiness that the managing director thought it fit to meet with them, to share his plans for the transformation of Iddo Train Terminus.
Alhaji Rashid Ajibola, Chairman, Iddo Railway Terminal traders, commended Opeifa for assuring the traders that they would not be rejected forcefully out of the market.
“This is the first time that we would meet with the managing director of the NRC and we are elated that we will not be removed from the place that provides food on our table for decades,” he said.
Ajibola who claimed Iddo Market supplies rice to the major markets across the country, assured Opeifa of the readiness of his members to support his administration to succeed.
The Chairman of Ijora Olopa Ajeloro Fish Market, Mr Aina Adekoya, expressed happiness that the NRC was not interested in taking over their markets, but working to transform the Iddo Train Terminal and its environs.
“We are happy that Opeifa has not changed from the man that we used to know in his days as the Commissioner for Transportation in Lagos State.
“I will say that we are very glad to have someone like him, who knows the value of traders and has expressed his willingness to support us to continue to thrive,” Adekoya said.
