Minister of Transportation, Sa’idu Ahmed Alkali, has disclosed of plans by the Federal Government to design a new National integrated land transport policy in line with modern realities
According to him, the policy is to create an integrated and sustainable multimodal transport system and deliver for the nation an organised, efficient, competitive, integrated, private-sector driven, safe, secure and sustainable world class land transportation system that meets the needs of a growing economy and the people.
The minister, while speaking at the Kano State transport policy dialogue, yesterday, maintained that transportation goes beyond movement of persons, goods and services, but also determines the wellbeing of almost all other sectors of the economy such as industry, commerce, education, healthcare, agriculture, security, tourism, among others.
He noted: “As a matter of fact, the performance or development indices of economies in the globe are graded on the effectiveness of their transportation system and regulatory framework. In this wise, it is right to say that Kano State is towing the part of greatness for seeing the need to develop its policy framework that aligns with the processes needed for the development of a policy document such as identification of the relevant issues.”
He called on the State Ministry of Transport to develop a policy document that embodies a clear cut policy goal and objectives; contains a well-defined scope that sets out a new approach to transportation and embodies new, modern thinking on integrating transport with other aspects of government policy.
He also urged them to incorporate principles that would guide all transport planning and management decision making, as well as enumerate and clarified sectorial issues with their existing situations, while proffering relevant policy statements.
Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, in his keynote address, stated that the policy dialogue was informed by his administration’s drive to reform the public transport sub-sector of the economy as a prelude to ensuring a safe, reliable, effective and efficient inter-modal public transport system in line with global best practices.
He said the state government has reconstructed numerous roads, overheads and under pass bridges, thereby reducing the traffic congestion in the cosmopolitan city.
Represented by his deputy, Aminu Abdulsalam Gwarzo, the governor stressed that reforming the transportation sector has become imperative in view of the challenges in the state, which he likened to Lagos and other emerging mega cities in the country.
