Maritime
Stakeholders Advocate Water Transport To Decongest Road Transportation
Transport experts and stakeholders have called on the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency pay attention to other modes of transportation, especially water transportation to decongest and lessen the pressure on the roads
The stakeholders who converged at the maiden Transport Summit organised by Just Alive Communications Limited, last Thursday, urged the Federal Government to create enabling environment to drive private sector investment in inland water transport, indigenous shipping, domestic airlines and in railway.
Professor of Transport Logistics at the Lagos State University, Prof. Bamidele Badejo, who made the call while delivering the Keynote Address titled, ‘The Future of Transportation in Nigeria: Trends, Challenges, Opportunities and the Way Forward’, said: “Water transport remained critical in reducing road congestion.”
Prof Badejo, known for his strong stance against government’s tendency to engage people who are “qualified by experience (QBE),” insisted that “government must effectively separate politics from the transport sector and allow competent professionals to become heads of agencies in the transportation sector.”
“The Federal Government must drive transport sector development through creation and implementation of workable transport policies that comprises all the various modes of transportation in Nigeria. This will ensure connectivity and even growth,” he said.
During the panel sessions, the stakeholders called on the Federal Government to urgently connect the Lekki Free Zone with railway and good access roads.
They also called on the Federal Government to strengthen the institutions in the transport sector by engaging competent professionals in relevant positions across board.
According to the experts, Nigeria must improve her green energy adoption in transportation by reducing her overall carbon footprint.
The panel called on governments to drive public-private partnerships in building transport infrastructure in Nigeria.
“The Federal Government should further liberalise the rail subsector to allow private sector participation, while the Nigeria Railway Corporate (NRC) regulates the sector,” the panel resolved.
By: Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos