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The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has directed all staff on the Abuja–Kaduna Train Service (AKTS) to undergo a four-day mandatory safety refresher training before passenger operations resume.
The NRC Managing Director, Dr. Kayode Opeifa, announced the measure on Friday while addressing staff at Idu Station in Abuja. He stated that the training, beginning Monday, 22 September, is part of efforts to prevent a recurrence of the 26 August train derailment.
Opeifa urged staff to strictly adhere to operational directives, particularly caution orders, to ensure passenger safety. He confirmed that recovery and restoration work was ongoing and assured that services would only recommence after all safety checks were satisfactorily completed.
The NRC boss also led a prayer session, thanking God for sparing lives during the incident and commending staff for their swift emergency response. “We must never take safety for granted. This training is to make sure every staff member is fully alert and ready before trains move again,” Opeifa said.
On staff welfare, he reaffirmed that an approved 95 per cent salary increase would be implemented before the year ends. Weekend incentives for AKTS personnel have also been approved. However, Opeifa cautioned locomotive drivers against issuing strike notices, warning that such disruptions adversely affect national service delivery.
The Nigerian Union of Railway Workers (NURW) welcomed the decisions, describing the incentive package as a significant morale booster for staff. Opeifa was accompanied during the inspection by directors from the civil engineering, corporate planning, and mechanical departments.
