By Moses Ebosele, ebosele@hotmail.com —
Photo Caption: Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Barrister Hassan Bello; President Chartered Institute of Transport Administration Nigeria (CIoTA), Dr. Bashir Jamoh and Managing Director, National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Mr. George Muoghalu at the opening of a three-day maiden National Transportation Summit organised by CIoTA in Abuja on Tuesday.
The Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Hassan Bello on Tuesday advised Transport Stakeholders to give adequate priority to connectivity and improvement in infrastructure.
Speaking on Tuesday in Abuja at the maiden edition of the National Transportation Summit organised by the Chartered Institute of Transport Administration in Nigeria(CIoTA), Bello explained that it is important to use modern technology to fast track the nations transport system as part of measures to compete with the global trends.
The theme of the event is ”Unlocking the Potentials of Transportation for Sustainable Development’’.
Explaining further Bello said : “If you have modern transport system, it will affect your economy, if you have outdated infrastructure, your economy will be sluggish and it will not grow.
“The growth of your economy depends on the modernity of your transport infrastructure; we have not been able to do that for a long time because we don’t have professionals running the transport system.
“So, we want the institute to look at the economy seriously and situate transport within that contextp such that if we have a dry port in Kaduna, it should bring economy to the door step of the people.
`We have lost billions of dollars to freight; imagine what this country would have become if we owned the freight we are paying for crude oil.
“If we want Nigeria to work, there is no place to look at than transportation. It is important that we adjust our transport system to the current trend,’’ he said.
According to Bello, lack of transport infrastructure in the country has pushed the cost of production by 45 per cent.
He said:“ The cost of doing business in Nigeria and connectivity of pipeline, inland waterways, railway and air transportation are critical.
“The port in Baro must be able to speak to the Inland Dry Port in Kaduna. Nigeria’s transportation system lacks connectivity.
“UNCTAD scored Nigeria very low over lack of connectivity. We want CIoTA to take over and to concentrate in making things better; they should begin massive advocacy by ensuring transport policy for integrated infrastructure.”
Bello explained that there was massive distortions in the transport system which, according to him, is not good for a country that wants to diversify its economy.
He urged the institute to concentrate on formulating a transport policy and work with key stakeholders to ensure integrated infrastructure in the country.
“What we want is multi-modalism, but we need inter-modalism more, where goods are brought by sea by the ship, offloaded and taken by the train or inland waterways.
`There must be a policy that certain percentage of goods must be carried by inland waterways, road, pipeline and a majority by rail.
“If we have the pipeline, why will tankers go to Apapa? We have chaos, indiscipline in Apapa and the port is presently overwhelmed. That was why we said that the NPA should own the whole of Apapa,’’ Bello added.
In his goodwill message, the Managing Director, Nigeria Water Ways Authority (NIWA), Mr George Moghalu, urged the institute to partner with various strategic stakeholders to drive the sector.
Moghalu expressed optimism that the institute would ensure ways of expanding the transportation footprint across the country.
He said:“This summit should offer the opportunity to all stakeholders in the sector to discuss and generate ideas to enable a more efficient transport management and administration in Nigeria.
“Stakeholders should, at this summit, network and share informations on ways of unlocking the potentials of the industry for sustainable development.
“Also, practical solutions should be proffered and factored into government policies and programmes to improve the sector, create jobs and further grow the Nigerian economy,” he said.
Meanwhile, the President of the Institute, Dr. Bashir Yusuf Jamoh has said that the Institute is set to professionalise all aspects of transportation industry in Nigeria for sustainable development.
According to the CIoTA President, “with the recent assent of Mr. President recognizing the Institute as the sole professional body in the transport industry, CIoTA will engage all stakeholders to ensure that all those involved in transport administration in Nigeria are certified to enhance professionalism.
He also disclosed that the institute’s plan to engage some graduate youths already mobilised for the National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) as transport administration volunteers.
According to him, the volunteer group will also work with other relevant government agencies like Federal Road Safety Corp (FRSC) in carrying out its activities.
He added that CIoTA would conduct research aimed at solving most of the transport challenges in the country.
Standardisation of Transport training geared towards enhanced professionalism, according to Jamoh, will be done by the institute through upgrading curriculum of transport training schools and partnership.
He also commended President Muhammadu Buhari for the recent groundbreaking launch of the University of Transportation in Daura and Katsina State and signing the CIoTA Bill into law.
