Intermodal transport: Stakeholders’ collective efforts needed – CIoTA President
As part of efforts to create an
enabling environment that supports indigenous and foreign private sector
investment in transport infrastructure, a leading economist, Professor Pat
Utomi, has admonished Federal and State Governments to jettison political
interference in contracts and concessioned projects.
enabling environment that supports indigenous and foreign private sector
investment in transport infrastructure, a leading economist, Professor Pat
Utomi, has admonished Federal and State Governments to jettison political
interference in contracts and concessioned projects.
Speaking on Wednesday at the ongoing
CIoTA summit, Utomi stressed that this practice of frivolous interruption of
legitimate infrastructure concession agreements and contracts have scared
Nigerian private sector investors as well as foreign direct investments, while the nation suffers
the consequence of dilapidated transport infrastructure.
CIoTA summit, Utomi stressed that this practice of frivolous interruption of
legitimate infrastructure concession agreements and contracts have scared
Nigerian private sector investors as well as foreign direct investments, while the nation suffers
the consequence of dilapidated transport infrastructure.
“People don’t go to a country where
property rights are threatened. In Nigeria, Governors are revoking Certificates
of Occupancy that were approved by their predecessors. We are talking of
properties that people have invested billions of Naira to build revoked due to
political considerations. People don’t come to countries like that,” Utomi
said.
property rights are threatened. In Nigeria, Governors are revoking Certificates
of Occupancy that were approved by their predecessors. We are talking of
properties that people have invested billions of Naira to build revoked due to
political considerations. People don’t come to countries like that,” Utomi
said.
Utomi, who is also the Founder,
Centre for Values in Leadership (CVL), lamented that lack of efficient
transport infrastructure has seen Nigeria lose relevance to smaller African
countries and other nations outside the continent.
Centre for Values in Leadership (CVL), lamented that lack of efficient
transport infrastructure has seen Nigeria lose relevance to smaller African
countries and other nations outside the continent.
Noting the strategic role of
logistics in economic development, Prof. Utomi said, “China’s dramatic
rise is down to the fact that they were able to turn around their logistics
sector.
logistics in economic development, Prof. Utomi said, “China’s dramatic
rise is down to the fact that they were able to turn around their logistics
sector.
“Africa will not make the progress
that it is destined to make, unless Nigeria leads the flying geese. What
transformed South East Asia economy? One country, Singapore began to get it
right, and others looked across the border and joined in the development
stride. Before you know it, Malaysia, Thailand and others had their economies
transformed.”
that it is destined to make, unless Nigeria leads the flying geese. What
transformed South East Asia economy? One country, Singapore began to get it
right, and others looked across the border and joined in the development
stride. Before you know it, Malaysia, Thailand and others had their economies
transformed.”
It would be recalled that President
Muhammadu Buhari assented to the bill establishing CIoTA in June this year, and
since then the association, led by its National President, Dr. Bashir Jamoh has
continued to engage stakeholders in the sector constructively towards achieving
a viable inter-modal transport sector in Nigeria.
Muhammadu Buhari assented to the bill establishing CIoTA in June this year, and
since then the association, led by its National President, Dr. Bashir Jamoh has
continued to engage stakeholders in the sector constructively towards achieving
a viable inter-modal transport sector in Nigeria.