To achieve the transport component of the Vision 2020 and place Nigeria on the path of economic prosperity, a Professor of Transportation Geography, Department of Geography, University of Lagos (UNILAG), Samuel Iyiola Oni emphasized the urgent need for restructuring the transportation sector in Nigeria.
Professor Oni, at an inaugural lecture in UNILAG, titled, “A Spatio-Temporal Restructuring of Transportation System in Nigeria,” reiterated that institutional reforms in the sector is critical in the restructuring process.
He called on the Federal Government to complete the road sector reforms and establish a road authority and a road fund, he also challenged them to review and strengthen the enabling transport policy, as doing so would enhance best world practice in the administration of road network development and management in the country.
He also urged all the key players in the road, rail, maritime and aviation sector to work together as the nation’s economy will greatly benefit from the alliance.
“The starting point for transport restructuring in Nigeria is the generation of sound, qualitative and up-to-date data. Without this, research, planning and development in this sector will only continue to be guesswork and planning would continually be done on erroneous scales”, he stated.
”An effective, efficient, coordinated and integrated multi-modal transportation system is the ultimate for a sustainable Lagos mega-city and Nigeria’s development”, he added.
Speakers at the Lecture also suggested the need for the creation of the National Transport Commission and Federal Roads Authority to improve service delivery in the sector, rejuvenate institutional structures, delineate policy functions as well as the involvement of the private sector in financing and managing the transport sector. The agency will also be helpful aiding the implementation of the improvements needed to achieve the transport component of Vision 2020.
Source: Guardian Nigeria.
