Economic development: Road, most viable instrument – FMoT boss

By
Dr Anthonia Ekpa


Director, Road Transport and Mass Transit Administration, Federal Ministry of Transportation (FMoT), Dr Anthonia Ekpa, says road is the most viable instrument and enabler of economic development.

She said this at the ongoing 3rd annual stakeholders conference on road transport and mass transit operations in Nigeria, themed: “Road Mobility Safety in Nigeria”

Ekpa said it was discovered during a focus lab last year that transportation offered the greatest number of investors, saying the Federal Government’s Economic Recovery Growth Plan (ERGP) prioritises transportation alongside agriculture.

She, therefore, emphasised the need for all stakeholders to join hands and ensure the growth of the sector.

Ekpa said the recent spate of crime in the country and kidnappings in unregistered private vehicles can be avoided if the system of Mass Transit is reintroduced and functional.

While speaking on the issue of green transportation using solar power and electric vehicles, Ekpa thanked the former minister of transport for approving the drive for the process, saying smaller countries are doing it and there’s no reason why Nigeria shouldn’t.



She added that the green transportation will eliminate the Co2 emissions that the world is currently battling with.

Ekpa thanked all partners and stakeholders involved in making the department and ministry a success, some of whom are the United Nations, the World Bank, Economic Community of West African States, Federal Government and private and public sector partners.

Also speaking at the event, Assistant Corp Marshal in charge of policy research and statistics, Federal Road Safety Corp (FRSC), Kayode Fanola (MNI) commended the organisers of the event.

He said it was a good programme by the Ministry for all stakeholders in the road transport sector to rub minds and find solutions to issues.

Fanola said the Corps Mandate is to ensure that carnages are minimised on the Nigerian roads through the use of advocacy, public enlightenment, research and enforcement.

Similarly a stakeholder Prince Julius Ogu, CEO Road Accident Prevention Network Centre (RAPNC), who spoke with NAN during the conference, listed some of the challenges that the conference has identified.

He said that the issue of duplication of duties by some agents of Government like the VIO, FRSC and the Nigeria Police Force should be addressed.

Ogu said organisations such as his directly and indirectly impact on the common man on the streets as they advocate against dangerous driving,

He said his agency also embarked on sensitisation of the public on how to work with agents of government and advocate obedience to traffic rules, which inadvertently reflects in the lives of the common man in the long run.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Prostitution; Nigerian Women At Growing Risk From Human Traffickers In Germany.

By
Image
According to InfoMigrants, Nigerian women are at growing risk from traffickers in Germany who exploit and engage them in prostitution. Read the full report below by InfoMigrants. The new prostitute protection law in Germany was meant to identify victims of human trafficking – most of them migrant women. More than 18 months after the law came into effect, thousands continue to be targeted for exploitation, and the risk for Nigerian women seems to be increasing. There are campervans parked by the roadside. Some have hearts painted on them, one says “girls, girls” in red letters. It’s an easy matter for someone to stop for a quick transaction in one of these Love-Mobiles – sex with one of the “girls” in exchange for the going rate. Prostitution is mainly legal in Germany, as are these mobile brothels. But many of the women in the business – including those working from the Love-Mobiles – are victims of illegal human trafficking. Most of the women are from Eastern Europe or Nige
Read more

FULL TEXT: A sacrifice for our new political order – Ezekwesili

By
Image
“When the ACPN leadership approached me in a series of visits to appeal that I run for office on their platform, the party appeared to be a good fit. It was founded by some disgruntled PDP members some years ago, but when its prime founder decided to return to the PDP, a core of its membership refused to move back with him. I was told that they stayed back because of their opposition to the ways of the PDP. Considering my vocal disapproval of the PDP and the APC, I admired the ACPN’s decision to stand firm and refusal to be co-opted.” It has been an interesting one week since I made the tough but necessary decision to suspend my campaign for the presidency. I have been truly overwhelmed by the reactions to my announcement from Nigerians. Even in airports outside the country as I travelled last week, Nigerians walked up to me with questions, concerns, encouragement, and motivation. I also saw disappointment by some who had poured their hearts and hopes into actualising our mission
Read more

Update On Slay Queen Who Was Stripped Naked And Tortured Over Missing Phone.

By
Image
The League of Patriotic Lawyers has given Edo State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Olusegun Odumosu, 24 hours to unravel those behind the torture and insertion of pepper into a girl’s private part in Benin City over alleged stealing of a mobile phone.  Chairman of the platform and former Student Union President of the University of Benin, Mr. Abubakar Yesufu, who said this in a statement yesterday, also urged the state Director, Department of State Services, DSS, to be involved in the investigation. A video of the incident, seen by Vanguard yesterday, showed the girl being stripped naked by a group of people, who inserted pepper into her private parts for allegedly stealing a phone. The unidentified girl was heard crying and saying she didn’t steal any phone, while she was being humiliated by the crowd. Yesufu said: “The League of Patriotic Lawyers has given the Edo State Commissioner of Police 24 hours to arrest and commence prosecution of all the street urchins behind this ba
Read more