The Minister of Transportation, Mu’azu Jaji Sambo, has described transportation as the only catalyst for rapid national development.
The Minister stated this on Friday during the 2022 Ministerial Retreat themed ‘Developing Capacity and Strategy to Deliver the National Development Plan (NDP) for the Transportation Sector,’ holding from Wednesday 26th October till Sunday 30th October, 2022, in Uyo, Akwa Ibom.
“The Transportation sector has contributed to the socio-economic needs of Nigerians and promoted the overall sustainable development of the nation,” the Minister observed, adding that “the provision of transportation infrastructure is and will always be work in progress for any nation that desires rapid development.”
Sambo, also said that he knows a lot needs to be done in the sector that the government developed the “National Development Plans (Medium-Term Development Plans 2021-2025 and a Long-Term Plan called the Nigeria Agenda 2050), which the Ministry domesticated as the Transport Sector Medium Term Development Plan (MTDP) 2021-2025 Policy Document.
He said that the Plan aimed at accelerating the growth of the transportation sector in the country with a strategic Medium-Term Vision Statement, which is: “To have an effective, efficient, intermodal, safe, reliable, affordable and sustainable transportation system contributing positively to the growth of the Nigerian economy.”
To make the above possible, the Ministry intends to pursue it through Improving safety and transportation, security, collaboration and synergy amongst transportation stakeholders, professionalism and Human Capacity Building; strengthening institutional governance and regulation; as well as Multi-modal infrastructural development to bring about “safe and Secured Transportation; Drive Economic Development; Facilitate Connectivity (Intermodal and Multimodal); Develop Local Capacity (Professionalism); Ensure Sustainability.”
He identified the activities to drive the transportation sector to include: Implementation of the 25 year – Railway Modernization Programme; the Ports Master Plan; inland Waterways transportation development, the Nigerian Transportation Master-plan (NTM); Tariffs and costs and reaction of Private Sector – led National fleet and Manpower capacity development.
While applauding the present administration’s “efforts at the expansion and modernization of the Nation’s Transportation System which has resulted in numerous achievements in the Rail, Maritime and Road Sub-sectors,” the Minister called on all Stakeholders to maintain harmonious working relationships as this would “galvanize the Transportation Sector to become more competitive, efficient and productive.”
Also speaking, the Minister of State for Transportation, Prince Ademola Adegoroye, called on stakeholders in the transportation sector to leverage on the opportunities presented by Public Private Partnership (PPP) to grow the sector as they have the capital and expertise needed for growth.
He also advised that Nigeria should take full advantage of its geographical position in the West African sub-region and Africa at large to leverage on the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement(AfCFTA) of which she is privy, adding that the transportation sector is a major driver for the promotion of intra-African trade.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Transportation, Dr. Magdalene Ajani, observed that “the transportation sector is a major driver of the National Development Plans as the sector is critical for the enhancement of natural integration, economic growth and unification of the country.”
