Tuesday 17th June 2014...
Conference resumed sitting at 9:22am, presided over by the chairman.
Votes and proceedings of the previous day were read, amended and adopted.
Committee on transport presented their report.
Some of the recommendations made by the committee and additional recommendations by delegates include the following;
- Federal Government should ensure every major airport in the country is linked to functional rail lines to boost easy access to airports across the country.
- Initiation and construction of rail line from Lagos to Enugu through Ore to ease movement of goods and passengers from the Western flanks of the country to the East and South South.
- Government should review the existing transportation master plan for each sector based on economic analysis, to determine the economic rate of return on each transportation project looking at the economic impact and financial implication of such projects.
- Rail lines should be made to have a dualisation policy to allow for mass movements of trains as obtained in developed rail systems in other parts of the world.
- For effective and efficient transport system it was agreed that the sectors; (Rail, Port, Land, Water, Sea and Air) be listed under the concurrent legislative list, that will spell out the areas of legislative competence of both state and federal government.
- In order to reduce road accidents and other associated hazards, there is need to develop effective rail system such that petroleum products can be transported from one part of the country to the other.
- Government should as a matter of urgency complete the National Hanger Project at Uyo Airport in Akwa Ibom State so that it would serve as a repair and maintenance hub to airlines operators.
- Foreign airlines be encouraged to employ Nigerian pilots and other staff as the number of unemployed qualified Nigerians in this sector compared to the burgeoning number of their foreign counterparts is precarious and unacceptable.
- The Committee had observed that the existing transportation infrastructure in Nigeria comprising roads, railways, ports, airport and pipelines is inadequate in terms of accessibility and inter-operatability.
- It located that the transportation sector represents a significant proportion of Nigeria’s key infrastructure because it facilitates the links between spatially located facilities and acts as mechanism for maintaining social contact.
Transportation, it said, affects the totality of a country’s activity ranging from its people, economy, environment and even its politics.
At the same time, the report noted that an ineffective transportation system could frustrate the efforts of government and the people, while an adequate transport system can impact positively on the national development and enhance the standard of living of the people.
It noted, “a well-planned and developed inter-modal transportation system is an essential infrastructure requirement for socio-economic development.
“Transportation goes beyond facilitating the movement of people and goods but also contributes to the regional and national development creating positive multiplier effects on all sectors of the economic activities, which will lead to job creation and poverty alleviation.”
It also noted that the most central challenge identified in this sector is the absence of an integrated approach to transportation development and management in Nigeria.
According to the committee, the absence of a central authority to oversight the implementation of the various National Transportation Master Plan and the heavy dependence on budgetary provision for transport development has led to inadequate funding regimes and distortions in most transport projects.
The committee observed that the privatization of projects such as the ports concessioning has not also removed the financial burden from government as public funds are still being applied to the expansion and maintenance of the facilities, leaving the concessionaires to collect revenue.
- Conference said government should ensure urgent construction of perimeter roads and fences around the airports so as to enhance airport security and prevent incidents of stray animals colliding with aircraft on the run way.
- Abandoned Onitsha Cargo Airport in Anambra State should be completed to enhance commercial activities in the South-east.
- Government was also mandated to fast-track the completion of Lokoja and Onitsha ports projects; and also dredges all inland waterways.
On roads,
- Government priority road development plan; Jos-Gombe-Yola, Mayo Balwa - Jada - Ganya - Tongou - Jamtan Road, Benin-Ore-Sagamu-Papalanto-Illaro-Obele-Benin Republic Border, Badagry-Seme-Benin Republic Boarder, Gombe-Yola and Mayobelwa-Jada-Jada Gariye- Toungo -Jamtari roads in Taraba state.
So many uncompleted road and those untouched were recommended to be completed from north to south to everywhere. Similar links were recommended for rial.
Other recommendation;
- Conference said government must, as a matter of priority, fast-track the completion of East-West Road which links the southern parts of the country to the western part to enhance effective transportation within the geo-political zones.
- Government was also tasked to establish Road Development Fund for the development and maintenance of public roads and that the sources of revenue may include among others, toll gates with a provision for alternative routes, vehicle tax, weigh bridges, parking fees and petroleum tax. It was decided that there should be a legal framework for the private sector participation in the financing and management of public roads in the country.
- Conference also asked the Federal Government to start work on the Nigerian sector of the Trans-African Highway as a way of easing transportation with the African continent.
- All states must have mass transit system.
- Major airports should be linked to rail lines.
- The cabotage act act should be reviewed to effectively achieve its objectives.
- That all existing security apparatus nationwide and in particular those attached to the intermodal transport system, must be restricted, screened and equipped with modern weapon and other technical know how, to enable them fight the new wave of crimes, insurgency and other forms of security threat.
- That the River Niger waterway should be setup and the River Niger should be dredged to keep it navigable at all times.
- Nigeria should establish a Naval coast guard for effective security in Nigeria costal waterway and to protect Nigerian fisheries resources.
- Coastal road from Badagry to cross- river be set up.
- Rail construction must have a dualization policy to allow for mass movement of trains.
- In communities situated on estuaries and River banks, bridge should be constructed to access the communities.
After amendments and argument and counter argument the report of the committee on transport was adopted by the house m.
We adjourned at 6:03pm to resume the following day.
On a Twitter: @Yadomah
No comments:
Post a Comment