The Federal Government has appointed Mr. Jetson Nwankwo as acting Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation.

Nwankwo, who until the new appointment, was the Director of Operations at the corporation, replaces Alhaji Abdulrahman Abubakar, who has been redeployed to the Federal Ministry of Transportation.

It was learnt that Nwankwo was named as new chief executive at an emergency meeting of the NRC board held on Wednesday at the Ebute Meta, Lagos headquarters of the corporation.

Although Abubakar is on annual vacation, he has been directed to report to the Ministry in Abuja on February 1, for his new assignment.

The Chief Public Relations Officer, NRC, Ms Nneka Ubanwa, who confirmed the changes to our correspondent on Wednesday, could, however, not provide details on Abubakar’s new posting.

In a telephone interview with our correspondent on Wednesday, the erstwhile managing director also said that nothing was clear yet on what he would be doing at the ministry.

But a source said that he was being considered to head a proposed department of railways, which would take care of the various projects for the rehabilitation and modernisation of the nation’s railways.

Abubakar joined the Nigeria Railways in 1983 as a principal personnel officer and was managing director of the corporation for five years, according to Ubanwa.

An indication that the changes were imminent came last week when Abubakar handed over the mantle of leadership to Nwankwo before proceeding on his annual vacation.

The practice was for the most senior director to act when the substantive managing director was away. Nwankwo was, however, not the most senior director at the time of his appointment.

It was not the first time an officer next in rank to the chief executive officer of the corporation would not succeed an out-going managing director.

Another source said the changes were made in connection with the revitalisation of the railway system.

Ahead of its eventual privatisation, the Federal Government had indicated its willingness to reactivate the ailing rail system and make it attractive for local and foreign investors.

President Olusegun Obasanjo, had on November 28 2006, inaugurated the construction of a new rail line from Lagos to Kano on standard gauge. The double track project was awarded to the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation at the cost of $8.3bn.

Government is also discussing with a South Korean firm the details of another rail line construction to link Port Harcourt with Maiduguri.