FG Reiterates Commitment To Improving Transport Sector For Economic Development
By Abdullahi Ahmad Bamalli
The Federal Government has reiterated its commitment to improving the transport sub-sector as a key contributor to the country’s economic development.
Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Boss Mustapha, stated this at the first quarter 2023 Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) strategy session, on Wednesday in Abuja.
It was reported that Mustapha was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Office of General Services, Mr Maurice Mbaeri.
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According to him, the federal government hopes to improve the transportation sector through improvements in interlinking modes.
He said that the government would also seek improvement in congestion management and urban mobility through road construction and maintenance.
“By doing so, pressure is removed on the road and the road sector is better preserved and safer.
“This will also manifest in the federal government’s construction and rehabilitation of rail tracks, dredging of waterways and upgrading of most airports in Nigeria.
“For sustainable management, the government is working through the Infrastructure Concession and Regulatory Commission.
“This is to explore public-private partnership in the management of these critical national assets,” he said.
Mustapha appreciated the limitations and enormous challenges facing the corps in enforcing its mandate, while encouraging them, as the consistent part of the leadership of the corps, to widen their horizon.
“Think outside the box; be creative in beginning to fashion new workable strategies that will better respond to our current challenges to traffic management in Nigeria.
“Begin to reposition your thoughts and vision to play a critical role in the wider national security architecture,” he said.
Earlier, the FRSC Corps Marshal, Dauda Biu, urged the commanding officers to reawaken field operations and reclaim the admiration of road users through improved professionalism and dedication to duty.
According to Biu, there is a need to pay specific attention to improving the declining level of enforcement on critical offences.
“Also, increase the rate of road traffic crashes (RTCs) across the country, the traffic congestion in our urban centres and the response time to RTCs.
“We need to be more civil and professional in our engagements as well as address extortion and high-handedness by patrol teams,” he said.
Highlights of the event were the decoration of the two newly-appointed Deputy Corps Marshals (DCMs).
