The transport sector in Nigeria can be best described as having the four wheels of a car traveling at different speeds and at different directions. In one word; discordant!
For over half a century after independence we are still groping in the darkness of inefficiency. Neglect of power and steel industry has negatively affected our progress towards industrialisation especially the transport development. Peers like Malaysia and South Africa are now light years ahead.
For over half a century after independence we are still groping in the darkness of inefficiency. Neglect of power and steel industry has negatively affected our progress towards industrialisation especially the transport development. Peers like Malaysia and South Africa are now light years ahead.
What Nigeria needs is one coordinating Minister of transport charged with superintending a ministry that will design effective policies and implement appropriate strategies to ensure the complementary and sustainable development of the four major elements of transport sector; that is road, Rail, marine and air travel.
The Minister of transport should exercise overarching responsibility for all modes of transport within Nigeria. This primary position will be supported by secretaries ( quasi-ministers of State) for Aviation, Road, Marine and rail.
Due to geographical, economic and social factors, it may be necessary, expedient and more suitable to adopt and develop some modes of transport instead of all four in certain locations.
In this way the planning will be complementary in order to be efficient and obtain enhanced synergies. Nodal integration and hub development using context sensitive solutions (CSS) is now the way to go when it comes to transport planing to obtain economic synergies.
The foregoing of course will amount to an exercise in futility if transparency, accountability and the rule of law is only given lip service in governance.
No comments:
Post a Comment