…urges NRC MD to call on Nigerian railway experts in diaspora for support

A United Kingdom based Railway Infrastructure Engineer, Bosun Odunlami has disclosed that most of the brains behind the infrastructural development of the London Transport are from the Nigerian descent.

Odunlami, who is a member of the project management team with Balfour Beatty Rails on the Metronet/BCV rail reconstruction project on the Victoria and Central Lines in London, made this known to Tribune Online on Monday evening.

According to him, the United Kingdom system gave them the needed skills to use their experience, talents and zealousness; Hence, the turnaround effect.

The Engineer noted that the framework environment is important in Nigeria for the effective railway system in the United Kingdom to be replicated.

“Most of the power bank and ingenius people behind infrastructural development in at least London Transport are basically from Nigerian descent.

“The reason is that the system has been able to give us the available skills for us to more or less use our experience, talents and zeal.

“There is nothing new they are doing here that they cannot be done in Nigeria, what is most important is the framework environment.

“Over here, there is what they called Time Schedule. If a train suppose to leave at 2:07, when does it leave? It is exactly 2:07. If it does not leave at that time, somebody needs to know why.

“There must be political will. Let the right people do the job, don’t put square pegs in round holes. Over here, the issue of infrastructural development is not weaponized and politicized.

“There are so many uncompleted railway projects in Nigeria at the moment because everyone is doing whatever they want to do and there is no framework for planning, continuity and accountability.

Meanwhile, He advised the current Managing Director of Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Dr. Kayode Opeifa to spread his net around the world for Nigerians to support him in achieving the railway dream.

Odunlami added that he should understand what the problems and loopholes are in order for a lasting solution.

He advocated for a five year plan of the desired infrastructural development of railway in Nigeria and strict adherence to it.

“My advice to the new Managing Director of Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Dr Kayode Opeifa is spread his net around over the world because there are many of us who are willing to jump on in supporting whatever he needs to do to make the railway system effective in Nigeria.

“It should be about the development of infrastructural policies not pecuniary benefits.

“It is important for him to understand what the problems or loopholes are.

“Let us have a five year plan of what we want the infrastructural development of railway to be in Nigeria. Upon this, let us adhere strictly to it.” He said. (Tribune)