A Professor of Transport and Logistics at Lagos State University (LASU), Samuel Odewumi, has urged the Federal Government to prioritize the conclusion and implementation of a national transportation policy that would effectively benefit all Nigerians.
He emphasized that the policy should be comprehensive, covering all modes of transportation, including road, air, rail, water, and pipeline.
Additionally, Prof. Odewumi called on the government to address the prevailing insecurity that has dampened Nigeria’s transport system, making it unattractive to various segments of society, including farmers.
He made this plea during his delivery of the 99th inaugural lecture series at LASU on Tuesday.
He spoke on, “Walking our way back to the garden of Eden: Envisioning a model of the complete metamorphosis of the urban transportation system trajectory.”
According to him, all modes of transportation in Nigeria need overhauling as no one is independent of the others.
He expressed dissatisfaction that Nigeria’s transportation sector is not only functioning well but balkanised such that the activities in the sector are scattered across many government ministries and agencies.
He said this situation was greatly displeased the Nigerian academia and professional associations such as the Chartered Institute of Transport Administration of Nigeria(CIOTA).
According to him, road and rail management, inland and international waters, the Ministry of Aviation and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) which serves as pipeline, and the Ministry of Works (road construction) should all have been under one umbrella body- Ministry of Transportation – with an overall minister while a minister of state to head each of the other units.
This arrangement, he pointed out, would have unleashed the sector’s full potential in its facilitation and contribution to the national economy.
Speaking further, the don, who was the former dean of the School of Transport and Logistics at LASU, gave several other recommendations capable of substantially moving the nation’s transport sector forward.
He said the government would need to give special attention in terms of effective management of road transportation because about 90 per cent of all mobility in the country is carried out on roads.
He equally emphasised the professionalism of the transport sector at the three levels of governance by allowing experts who understand the system very well to be in charge at all levels of governance- local, state and national.
The inaugural lecturer, however, commended the Lagos State government for concluding its own transportation policy which has already been presented to the stakeholders on 28th of May this year, advising that any further review necessary on the document should be carried out without delay.
He said the document if well reviewed to become a policy would set a pace for the Federal and other state governments still battling with their own formations.
Prof Odewumi also recommended that the government should adopt the use of local materials, technologies and expertise for road repairs and construction rather than relying on expensive foreigners, especially from China and Germany, who will repatriate their income back home.
He also called on the Lagos state government not to abandon the research on converting of solid wastes like plastics, polythene and sand to road repairs and construction materials.
He noted that the first phase of the research work funding by the state government had been concluded and now that it required testing of the durability and sustainability of the fabricated blocks in the laboratory, the government has abandoned it.
He pointed out that, “Road construction is not so much of a complicated science that Nigeria will continue to rely on expensive foreign Chinese or German contractors, especially for the minor link and rural roads.”
He said it is high time that Nigeria changed the narrative in the transport sector for not only the economy but also the people to flourish as the sector is connected one way or the other to other sectors of the economy.
The don thanked the university management and those who graced the event, saying he is externally grateful for the show of love.
Introducing the inaugural lecturer earlier to the audience, the vice-chancellor of LASU, Prof Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, who was represented by the deputy vice-chancellor( Academic), Prof Olufunsho Omobitan, extolled his virtues.
She described Prof Odewumi as a great scholar and an administrator par excellence.
There were many people including dignitaries across walks of life in attendance.
They included the former executive secretary of the National Universities Commission(NUC), Emeritus Professor Peter Okebukola; former commissioner for the environment, Lagos State, Dr Muiz Banire; representative of Executive Secretary of NUC and former Vice- Chancellor of University of Lagos, Prof Oluwatoyin Ogundipe; Chairman of Governing Council of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile- Ife, Prof Siyan Oyeweso; centre director, CIAPS, Prof Anthony Kila; former VC LASU, Prof Abisogun Leigh; Dr Oyedele Ibraheem; Timi of Ede, Osun State, Oba Miniru Adesola Lawal, Laminisa; the wife of the inaugural lecturer, Mrs. Odyfemunuwe Odewumi and host of others.
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