Minister of Transportation, Muazu Sambo has reiterated the Nigerian government’s plan to generate 21million full-time jobs and lift 35 million people out of poverty by 2025.
Mr. Sambo made the disclosure in a speech delivered over the weekend at the ongoing 2022 Ministerial Retreat held at Akwa-Ibom State, Southern Nigeria.
He said the transportation sector was setting the stage for achieving government’s commitment to lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in 10 years.
The Transport Minister stated that infrastructural gaps that exist in the sector necessitated the development of the National Development Plans; Medium-Term Development Plans 2021-2025 and a Long-Term Plan called the Nigeria Agenda 2050.
According to him, the plan is to invest massively in infrastructure, ensure macroeconomic stability, enhance the investment environment, improve living conditions and implement climate change mitigation.
“The plans are aimed at accelerating the growth of the transportation sector in the country with a strategic Medium-Term Vision Statement, which is to have an effective, intermodal, safe, reliable, affordable and sustainable transportation system contributing positively to the growth of the Nigerian economy,” he stressed.
He added that the policy thrusts to drive the vision of improving safety and transportation security as well as collaboration and synergy amongst transportation stakeholders.
“Others are professionalism and human capacity building, strengthening institutional governance and regulation and Multi-modal infrastructural development.”
Mr Sambo further stated that five high-level strategic goals were selected to achieve these policy thrusts of; Safe and Secure Transportation, Drive Economic Development, Facilitate Connectivity (Intermodal and Multimodal), Develop Local Capacity (Professionalism) and Ensure Sustainability.
“The key Policy Initiatives and Reform Programmes for the Sector are; Implementation of the 25-year Railway Modernisation Programme, the Ports Master Plan and Inland Waterways Transportation Development.
“Others are The Nigerian Transportation Master plan (NTM), tarrifs and costs, creation of private sector led national fleet and manpower capacity development,” he said.
Mr. Sambo acknowledged that efforts of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration have been concentrated on the expansion and modernization of the Nation’s Transportation System which has resulted in numerous achievements in the Rail, Maritime and Road Sub-sectors.
He reiterated that the provision of transportation infrastructure is always a work in progress for any nation that desires rapid development.
“With the recent presentations on the investment opportunities that exist in the Transportation Sector at various fora, I am optimistic that there will be an influx of international private investors’ patronage in the Sector soon,” he added.
He further commended the Minister of State for Transportation, Prince Ademola Adegoroye, Permanent Secretary, Dr Magdalene Ajani and all members of staff of the Ministry for their support and diligence.
