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RT Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, CON Hon Minister of Transport
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Protocol
We
are delighted to welcome you to this first interaction with our media
stakeholders in the transportation sector. We are certain this
would be the first of many such interactions in the light of
President
Buhari administration’s commitment to accountability and
open government. Since we assumed office as ministers, I and
my colleague the Honourable Minster of State Aviation have received
briefs from different departments and agencies of the ministry and have also embarked
on a fact finding tour. These briefings and tour have enabled
us to firm our work plan and policy direction in line with
the determination of this administration to
lay solid foundation, and improve critical infrastructure that will
reflate our economy. The transportation sector holds
the key to any economy and forms the basis of all
socio-economic interactions. Like many other
countries, Nigeria suffers the bane of inadequate transportation
but perhaps worse than other countries. Nigeria’s huge
population puts enormous pressure on a very poor transport infrastructure
that bedevils the nation. The problems of Nigerian
transport system include bad roads, inadequate fleet of busses
and trucks; irregular and inadequate trains
and airplanes services and congested ports. In line with these,
are physical problems such as the dearth of suitably trained
transport managers and planners, capital restructuring bottlenecks, serious issues of institutional
reforms and ineffective traffic regulations. The contribution of the transport
sector to the Gross National Product is an unacceptable
1.41%. For a sector that plays a major role
in the nation’s development, there is an urgent need to exploit the
opportunities that abound within the sector to improve its contribution
to the national economy. Countries like South Korea
and Singapore have built their economies around a vibrant transportation
sector. Although Nigeria is blessed with
multiple modes of transportation that is the envy
of many, these potentials have largely remained untapped. Our
air transport and railways sub-sectors hold the key to unlocking
the vast potentials in our cities and rural areas. The Buhari administration is determined
to fully exploit the potentials in the
transportation sector. As a first step, the government
will pursue the enactment of legislation that will open up
the sector to new investments that will lead to economic prosperity. Among the bills that is ready
for legislative action is the National Transport Commission
Bill
- an act to provide for the establishment of a National
Transport Commission as an independent multi-modal
economic regulator and other related matters. This bill among others
have been approved by the Federal Executive Council in
March 2014.
Railways
This
sub sector has suffered significant neglect in the past though it
is the most effective and cheapest mode of mass transportation
for both passengers and freight. During the hey
days of Nigerian
Railway
Corporation, railway was the fastest means of transporting
mass freight between different regions of the nation thus
reducing pressure on road usage; these included petroleum and
agricultural
products. The current state of the
railway is an indication of the serious neglect
of this important sub-sector occasioned by poor policy initiation
and implementation. This has led to the proliferation of privately
owned and operated road haulage services resulting in unregulated
and chaotic situation on the nations roads. Nigerian Railway
Corporation has been effectively reduced to an economically
unviable venture dependent on government subvention
without any return on the huge investments. The
present administration is determined to revamp the railway sector
with a view to enhancing national integration by encouraging
mass transit of passengers and goods between and across
the geographical regions of the country. The immediate impact will be the reduction
of haulage of heavy cargoes by roads thus
reducing road damage and increasing the life span of roads. The
movement of petroleum products by rail will be re-introduced in
2016. As you are aware, we have commenced and almost completed the narrow gauge rehabilitation which
will be retained
for the movement of cargoes.
At the same time massive investments into the standard
gauge
to link most parts of the country with faster trains
for passenger movements has begun. In 2016, we hope to complete
work on the Abuja-Kaduna railway line as
Mr. President is highly committed to it. Work will start in earnest
on the standard gauge on the following routes:
1. Calabar-Lagos line which
will
transverse the following towns and cities. Obudu Cattle
Ranch-Calabar-Uyo-Aba-PHYenagoa-Otuoke-Yenagoa-Ughelli-Sapele-Benin-AgborAsaba-Onitsha-Benin-IjebuOde-Ore-Sagamu-Lagos
Seaports.
2. Lagos-Kano.
Lagos-Ibadan-Ilorin-Minna-Kaduna- Kano.
The
construction of new lines and rehabilitation
of old railway lines will generate over
250,000 direct jobs and more indirect jobs while
having multi-plier effect on economic activities. With
the resuscitation of commercial traffic from Port Harcourt to Aba
amongst others, we have begun the revitalization of this key sub-sector
of the Nigerian economy.
MARITIME
The
maritime sector globally is largely private sector driven with governments
providing the appropriate policy and regulatory framework
to improve investments and safeguard the nation’s waterways. In Nigeria, the potentials in the maritime
sector remains largely untapped. This sector’s contribution
to the nations GDP is appreciable. Government will
implement
policies that encourage private sector participation
and investments towards diversification and growth of
the nations economy.
Government
will streamline all the agencies in the maritime sector for
a more effective and efficient performance to meet the expectations
of all stakeholders. For example is attempt to improve improve the clearance
of
good at the reports within 48 hours time period.
AVIATION
The
aviation industry in Nigeria has not been without its peculiar problems
in the recent past which includes but not limited to weak airlines
and decaying infrastructure. The ministry of transportation
in
collaboration with relevant parastatals and agencies have drawn
up short term plans that are currently being implemented of which
the traveling public will take notice of the improvements in the not distant future. These
plans include the expeditious completion of on going
airports remodeling projects at Lagos, Abuja,
Kano and Port Harcourt and the decongestion of airports access
roads among several others. The new terminal in Lagos will
generate additional 15 million passengers annually making a total
of 30 million passengers yearly nationwide. The medium and long term plans will require significant investments to upgrade and expand infrastructures to meet current and
future requirements.
As
a result of limited resources for capital projects development, government
is exploring the possibility of private sector participation
to towards the realization of the industries’ potentials.
The
ministerial committee on the National Airline has
submitted its report the President which the government is studying carefully and
will announce its decision in due course.
In
June of this year, Nigeria scored 96.45% during the International
Civil Aviation Security Audit. Despite this feat, the nation
can ill afford to let its guards down considering recent events
in the international scene where passenger airplanes have been
blown out of the skies. Subsequently in accordance with the
Nigerian
Civil Aviation Security Program (NCASP) and International
Aviation Organization (ICAO) annex 17, the Federal Government
is looking to overhaul and streamline the security apparatus
at the nations airports for a seamless and more effective
security surveillance and enforcement. This will also
improve
facilitation and passenger experience.. The use of appropriate
technology and customized training for security personnel
will play a major role in this process. The purpose of all these
measures is to work smarter in achieving stated goals and targets.
With
regards to the operators and service providers, they must operate
within the ambit of Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations and International Civil Aviation Organization
Standards and
Recommended
Practices (SARPS) or face the full wrath of the law
and extant regulations. This has become necessary as we cannot
afford any mishap. Ladies and gentlemen, safety and security
is non negotiable.
CONCLUSION
Efforts
will be re-doubled towards the recovery of debts owed to the
ministry and all its parastatals and agencies to mitigate the effects of dwindling resources. The ministry through its regulatory
agencies will ensure strict compliance with all laws and
regulations. In this regard there will no sacred cows. All stakeholders in the transportation sector
are encouraged to join hands with the
government towards building a virile, vibrant and
profitable industry.
Your
excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, having toured the various
parastatals and agencies; the enormity of the tasks ahead has
become much clearer. The government of President
Muhammadu Buhari is in the process of developing a
national transportation masterplan that will
be implemented as a fulfillment one of his campaign promises to
diversify the national economy while improving non oil sector revenues.
While reducing dependence on oil revenues it will also develop
the rural economy, reduce unemployment and urban drift. We
understand and appreciate the issues clearly and are committed
to ensuring the goals and targets of the President Muhammadu
Buhari’s government in the transportation sector are met
in earnest for the benefits of our people and the nation.
I
thank you for listening, God bless you all and the Federal Republic
of Nigeria.
RT Hon. Chibuike Rotimi
Amaechi, CON
Hon Minister of Transport
December 2015
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