Federal Ministry of Transportation on Thursday charged states across the nation to key into developments of inland water transportation.
Dr. Ajani Magdalene Nwanwuche, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Transportation, gave the charge at the 9th Annual Transport Lecture organized by Transport Day Newspapers, with the theme: ‘Nigeria’s Transportation For Development; Sectoral Achievements, Prospects and Challenges’ which held in Abuja.
“The deployment of deep blue sea project for safety and secured shipping is a major achievement as well as increased public, private sector engagement in the development of world-class facilities within the properties of the Nigerian Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) in Lagos State, and I am encouraging other states to key into development of inland water transportation” she said.
According to the Perm Sec, the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari recognizes the importance of the transportation sector to the industrialization and diversification of the Nigerian economy, hence it leveraged the sector by reviving and rehabilitating existing transport infrastructure providing new ones as well as ensuring the development of professional capacity building for manpower to drive the sector.
She noted that transportation constitute a significant factor to national economic prosperity as transportation facilitates international and local trades, supports food security, generates employments, delivers energy and enables industrial and infrastructural development.
Dr Nwanwuche, who commended Transport Day Newspapers, the organizers of the event for keeping Nigerians abreast with current global happenings on the transport and logistics sector, noted that the transport developmental strides of the present administration are evident in the rehabilitation of existing narrow gauge rail lines and the development of standard gauge railway lines to connect cities and towns within and outside the country.
The Perm Sec also stated that the development of deep seaports, ports and the automation of the nation’s ports operations to facilitate the ease of doing business are the thoughts and evidence realities of the Ministries for sector developments, adding that the Ministry of Transportation is not detarred in its vision to evolve a world-class transportation system in Nigeria.
