as CIOTA sets agenda to boost the sector

By Oko Ebuka

MINISTER of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi; Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika; Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, and Minister of State for Transportation, Senator Gbemi Saraki, as well as commissioners for transport in the 36 states of the federation are set to  meet with other transport sector stakeholders next week to brainstorm on ways to move the sector forward at the forthcoming 2019 National Transport Summit, NTS.

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The summit will feature technical sessions and panel discussions, which will cover a wide range of issues on the nation’s transport challenges and feasible solutions.

It would further seek to address the numerous transport sector woes in the country seeking for innovation and global best practices.

In a statement signed by the Chairman, Media/Publicity Sub-committee, Chartered Institute of Transport Administration, CIOTA, Isichei Osamgbi, the president of the Institute, Dr. Bashir Jamoh, noted that the summit, is part of efforts to advance the transportation system in Nigeria.

He stated: “CIoTA hopes to utilize the conference to bring the Federal and State Governments and other major stakeholders together, to push for the required policies to enable seamless integration of the modes of transportation in the country, to ease the challenges at hand and move the nation’s economy forward.”

Jamoh, also called for synergy among relevant bodies, saying collaboration was the only way the country’s transportation system can be effectively developed. He assured that the body will constantly offer professional advice to government on issues relating to transportation and its development, towards building a better economy for the country.

Speaking further, CIoTA boss, who is also Executive Director, Finance and Administration, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, added that the summit would equally create an avenue to address the modes of transportation in the country, which have not been beneficial to trade and supply chain.

He said: “During the summit, CIoTA will be addressing a key issue of how best we can get the needed value in the supply chain, because trade is only complete when goods can get to their final destination in efficient manner.

“We can see that the challenge has been the non-integrated approach of the various transportation modes, making it difficult for movement of goods from the ports to various locations. We shall be looking at solutions that would integrate the road, rail, air, and water transport systems. We are looking to push for policies to uphold seamless integration of the transport modes to support trade, in terms of easy movement of cargo across locations.

“One good way to go in seeking solution to the perennial gridlock in the port city of Apapa, Lagos, is to turn to the railway and barges for the movement of containers, rather than remaining stuck with road transportation alone. The issue of using rail tracks to move cargo from the ports will be paramount in terms of policy, advisory, human capacity, and skill acquisition for our own members, who are in different agencies in the maritime industry.”