The South-West Development Commission has clarified that its rail licence is for operations on existing rail tracks, not for the construction of new ones in the South-West.
The SWDC, in a statement on Tuesday, said the clarification followed interpretations that the licence was approval to build new rail tracks across the region.
Last week, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of SWDC, Charles Akinola, announced that the commission had secured a provisional rail operating and track access licence from the Nigerian Railway Corporation, paving the way for SWDC-led passenger and freight rail services across existing rail corridors in the South-West.
Akinola explained that the licence was not for the construction of new rail lines, but for operating passenger and freight services on existing rail corridors linking communities, businesses, industrial hubs and economic centres across the South-West.
While acknowledging the public interest and excitement that greeted the grant of the provisional licence, the commission stressed on Tuesday that it was only authorised to operate passenger and freight rail services on existing rail tracks.
