THE Federal Government has said that it remains resolute and undeterred in the vision to transform the transport sector in Nigeria into a world class system.
Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Transportation, Dr. Magdalene Ajani, spoke at the ninth Nigeria annual transport lecture tagged ‘Nigeria transportation for development, sectional achievement, prospects and challenges.’
She noted that this was why the Federal Government had strived to rehabilitate the existing narrow gauge rail lines to standard gauge lines to provide connectivity between cities and West Africa.
“Similarly, the development of Deep Sea Ports and the automation of our ports operations to facilitate the ease of doing business at the ports are evident reality of the ministry’s zeal for sectoral development,” Ajani said are further attestation to the ministry’s resolve.
She disclosed that the transport ministry concurrently has ongoing public-private engagement in the development of world class transport system within the properties of the National Inland Waterways in Lagos State and encouraging other states to key into the drive.
Making her presentation, one-time Director, Road Transport and Mass Transit Administration, Federal Ministry of Transportation, Anthonia Ekpa, decried neglect of the road sector by the Federal Government as against huge sums accorded other modal means of transport.
She said that prioritising the road sector is cheaper and would have more coverage on roads constructed and buses bought contrary to money spent to build just an airport runway or rail track.
Earlier, the Director-General, National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), Jelani Aliyu, said the theme of this year’s lecture was chosen in view of the fact that transportation is the backbone for economic development of any country and is a critical investment sector that stimulates economic growth.
He also stated that the theme was in line with the policies of the NADDC geared towards promoting and enhancing value addition in the transport and automotive sector of the economy by creating conducive business climate to further enhance investment inflow and industrialisation.
Towards the realisation of the theme, Aliyu stated that the agency is working towards developing and promoting advanced transport technology in the automotive industry in line with the global paradigm shift to carbonless transport system.
“Currently, one of our top focus areas is scaling up production of applicable electric vehicles locally, to enable Nigeria to meet its target for the Paris Accord and 2060 net zero commitment,” Jelani said.
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