Railway Services and Human Security in Enugu Metropolis, Enugu State, Nigeria

Abstract

Abstract

Railway facilities and services are a major factor to be considered in examining the security and welfare of the active populace in Enugu Metropolis. Rail transport services in the metropolis have been anything but weak and barely support economic and social life of the people. The consequences of such include, but not limited to the people paying more for consumer goods, waste of precious and productive hours on bad roads due to neglect of both the roads and the rail intersections, gradual erosion of strong bond between the north and the south, loss of opportunities for economic activities among persons, the segmentation of the major roads in the city at strategic junctions by rail lines and constituting a threat to the safety of human lives and properties. The theoretical framework for this paper was based on neo-colonialism. Data were sourced from text books, journals, newspaper publications and reliable online sources. This paper advocates that there is need for a more modernized and effective rail transport system in Enugu Metropolis; the NRC’s rail operations in Enugu are not effective and people friendly. It is therefore expedient that the rail transport system in the Metropolis and the South Eastern states be upgraded to meet the growing transportation needs of the people. Any effort, both private and government at improving rail transport operations in the metropolis should be encouraged, funded, implemented and sustained to ultimately enhance the security and welfare of the populace.

Key words: Railway Services, Human security, Metropolis, Intersections, segmentation, rail lines.