Road Operators Tasked to Apply Cognate Experience to Uplift Sector

Kasim Sumaina in Abuja

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation, Mr. Sabiu Zakari, has tasked various stakeholders in road transport sub-sector in the country to commit their wealth of experience to uplift the sector and the well-beings of Nigerians.

He made this call in Abuja, while declaring open, a two-day workshop on stakeholders’ forum on innovations/solutions on road transport operations in Nigeria.

The Perm Sec in his address, noted that, the road transport sub-sector which accounts for over 90% in terms of movement of persons and goods in the country, requires due attention.

According to him, “As you are aware, transportation is critical to national development, as such, a country cannot develop beyond its transportation system. Since government alone cannot possibly do everything, there is need for all hands to be on deck to move the sub-sector forward.”

Zakari hinted that, in recognition of the road transportation sector as an untapped goldmine, and in its quest to diversify the economy, President Muhammadu Buhari was making concerted effort towards improving the sector and making it economically viable, efficient and effective in terms of service delivery.

“It is in recognition of this that, the Federal Ministry of Transportation, during its first Stakeholders’ Workshop in July, 2016, called on the private sector to provide implementable innovations in the road sub-sector. Since then, proposals on various solutions have been received.
“The ministry hopes that, such initiatives would add value to the system towards achieving affordable, modern and sustainable transportation in the country.

To this end, the Ministry has convened this forum with the theme: “Transforming the Road Transport and Mass Transit Operations and Management in Nigeria, through Innovations and Public Private Partnership.”

The Perm Sec, who was represented by the Director, Transport Planning and Coordination, Mr. Solomon Ishaya, further stated that, the meeting has brought together, stakeholders in road and Mass Transit Sector, with the purpose of; showcasing innovations/solutions proposed by the private sector, to improve transportation in Nigeria, to create a forum for interaction and change-directed interface with key players, at various level of government, in the private sector and development community and the deployment of such solutions/innovations in various states of the federation.

Ishaya hinted that, it was noteworthy to state that the companies making presentations were selected from the numerous Solutions presented at an innovation exercise held in May this year.

He however, urged the participants to apply their cognate experience, by constructively appraising the proposals and endorsing them accordingly, so that the objective of the workshop was achieve.