The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) and the Bayelsa State government are set to resuscitate the railway foundry.
This was disclosed when the DG of NIMASA, Dr Bashir Jamoh in company with the MD of NRC, Fidet Okhiria, and some other senior executives of both organisations inspected the Nigerian Railway foundry located within the NRC complex in Ebutte Metta, Lagos.
The NIMASA DG said provision has to be made where wrecks would be kept and recycled.
He said, “So if we remove wrecks holistically as we proposed, we need to make provision for where they will be kept and how we can recycle them for economic benefits.
“That’s why I spoke with the MD of Nigerian Railway, and Bayelsa State Government which had earlier indicated an interest in wreck recycling and with a technical partner from South Africa to come and invest in the Nigerian railway foundry.”
Jamoh indicated that the foundry would create several jobs with spare parts for shipbuilding and ship repairs, thereby saving foreign exchange for the country.
He noted that not only wrecks would be recycled at the foundry but other damaged iron-based components and metals such as scrapped cars and machinery.