Why our trains still lack security technology – Amaechi

Rotimi Amaechi, the minister of transportation, has said the “tedious” procurement process for digital security cameras is why the government has not installed them yet on the train coaches operating in the country.

Amaechi said the digital system, worth about N3 billion, would have helped in detecting human activities around the rail track.

“We have not been able to install the security sensors because the procurement process is a bit difficult. It is typical of Nigerians.

“To shorten the process and save lives like this, we have to do the needful but the process is tedious, the approval is also tedious, we have not been able to get that approval that will lead to purchase of those items.

“If those items were here, drones alone will tell you that there are people around the rail tracks because there are drones, there are equipment that pick sensors if you touch the track but unfortunately the process has not been able to get us that approval for us to import those items,” he said.

The minister, moreover, said fixing the damaged coaches and rails would cost N3billion of tax payers money.

“We have lost locomotives, we have lost tracks, some have been kidnapped, we have lost human beings and to fix all those things will cost more than N3billion,” he said.

According to him, 362 passengers among 398 persons that procured tickets boarded the ill-fated train.