Minister reiterates commitment to road transport transformation
By Shiktra Shalangwa, Abuja
The Nigerian Minister of state for Transportation, Senator Gbemisola Saraki, has reiterated commitment to the transformation of the road sub-sector through partnership with stakeholders.
Ms Saraki said this when a delegation of the National Freight Hauliers Association, NFHA paid her a courtesy visit in Abuja.
The Minister said that the sector would move forward only through partnership with relevant stakeholders.
“The Ministry is very concerned about the state of road transportation in this country and we are trying to do something about it. But definitely we cannot do it alone, so the ministry, in partnership with other operators in the field, is going to make sure that both sector are transformed.
“Every sector in the road transportation is being looked at because we want to be able to compete globally and that means we must do things right and maintain standards to ensure that Nigeria is where its supposed to be,” the minister explained.
The Minister was represented by the Director of Road Transport and Mass Transit Administration, Mrs Esther Ehigie.
Earlier, Mr Jackson Bent, the Natonal President of NHFA had urged the Nigerian government to fish out miscreants who run illegal transport unions to defraud unsuspecting transporters and motorists.
Mr Bent, who decried the activities of the miscreants, said it has led to multiple taxation in the transport sector, as well as hike in commuter fare and prices of goods.
“Our associations strongly believe that with the ministry of transport, its effort to ensure that freight haulage is truly professionalise, stakeholders are discipline, united, patriotic, to endeavour to synergies with ministry and relevant agencies to impact the nation.
“So as to avoid proliferation of same association, we deem it fit to advise the federal ministry of transport to liaise with minister of labour and productivity and the registrar general of CAC, for careful transparent guide against mushroom bodies coming up as lorry unions, pickup unions, and the likes, having to do with freight haulage.
“This is necessary because such units registration would not help to achieve model success in the industry and it will not help the expected haulage transportation growth of the economy, it will only lead to hike in prices to the end users,” Mr Brent explained.
Confidence Okwuchi
