Railway Senior Citizens Congress Advocates Monetization Of Their Staff Quarters
BY ALPHONSUS EFFI
Representatives of the Retirees of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, residing in Railway Quarters across the nation and organized under the Association of Nigeria Railway Senior Citizens (ANRSC), convened at the historic Club 1919 in Railway Compound, Ebute Metta, Lagos. This gathering aimed to strategize on their ongoing efforts to compel the NRC Management to implement a favorable court ruling concerning the disposal of their quarters and to uphold their right of first refusal as outlined in the monetization policy and affirmed by the National Industrial Court of Nigeria.
This meeting follows the recent appointment of Dr. Kayode Opeifa as the new Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation by President Bola Tinubu in January 2025.
During the assembly, the retirees chose to retain the executive committee and trustees appointed nine years prior, despite calls for a significant overhaul from certain members, including elders Alphonsus N. Effi from the stores/procurement department and Magnus Ogbue from the accounts department.
These individuals criticized the current leadership for their passive stance in advocating for their monetization rights before the Federal High Courts of Nigeria, particularly in light of appeals made by the NUR management and the two in-house unions, NUR and SSA. The central issue at hand is that the Railway management and the two unions are pursuing an out-of-court settlement regarding the leasing of the quarters, without the approval of the majority of the retirees represented by the ANRSC, who have legitimately won the monetization case in the industrial court under the guidance of Comrade Lesi from the SSA and Comrade Okoro from the NUR.
The transition of leadership within the NUR/SSA occurred when the previous comrades retired from service and new officers were elected. This change marked a departure from the legal victories achieved by their predecessors against management, as the current union leaders began to align themselves with management’s interests.
They adopted a controversial stance on leasing quarters to both retired and serving officers, which contradicted the monetization policy established by the Federal Government of Nigeria in 2004 during General Olusegun Obasanjo’s presidency. This policy clearly stated that residents of such quarters should be granted the “first refusal” option to purchase their accommodations, with alternative measures only to be considered if they declined. Regrettably, the management of the Nigerian Railway Corporation and its affiliated unions have chosen to ignore this directive, favoring a leasing approach that was never part of the federal government’s monetization policy. Consequently, while other ministries and parastatals have adhered to the policy without issue, the Nigerian Railway Corporation and its unions continue to resist compliance, engaging in protracted legal disputes over the unacceptable practice of leasing, which stands in stark contrast to the established federal guidelines on monetization.
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