859 km standard gauge rail lines constructed in 5 years - Amaechi

Segun Oladipupo

The Minister of Transportation, Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, has said 859 km of standard gauge rail lines have been constructed and commissioned for commercial use in the last 5 years.

He made this known on Friday in Lagos at the 8th Nigeria Annual Transport Lecture organised by Transport Day.

Amaechi, who commended the organisers of the event, averred that government was leveraging the transport sector as a backbone to industrialise and diversify Nigeria the economy.

The Minister was represented by Executive Director, Federal Ministry of Transportation, Mr Agbaji Francis at the event.

He said the efforts are evident of the rail subsector where 859 km of standard gauge rail lines have been constructed and commissioned for commercial use in the last 5 years.

He assured that the Ministry is making efforts of implementing the deliverables signed at the inception of the current administration of President Buhari -led government and is also striving to leave a significant legacy in the execution of its priority.

In his presentation, titled: Improving Nigeria Transportation System; The Way Forward, Corp Marshall of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Dr Boboye Oyeyemi stated that transportation was critical for economic growth.

To achieve this, he called for proper utilisation of five modes of transportation including road, air, water, rail and pipeline.

Dr Oyeyemi said, “No matter what we do; without transportation, we cannot move. Globally, transportation is the biggest industry and it has continued to grow” .

Commending the present government on improvement in the transportation sector, The Corps Marshal added “The pressure is too much on the road.

“Fatality has been on the high. We used to have an average of 100 lives lost on the roads weekly. Speed is a major aspect that we need to address”.

In his opening remarks, Publisher of Transport Day Newspaper, Mr Frank Kintum, expressed joy for the massive turnout.

Kintum said that the lecture which is in its 8th edition has helped to brainstorm on contemporary issues affecting the transportation industry.

The 2021 /8th edition of the Nigeria Annual Transport Lecture, Exhibition and Awards, with the theme: “Improving Nigeria Transportation System; The Way Forward” was well attended by stakeholders in the nation’s transport sector, including the Director General of National Automotive Design and Development (NADDC), Mr Jelani Aliyu, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, Amb Anthonia Ekpa; Director General/Chief Executive Officer of Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Dr. Dikko Umaru Radda represented by Mr Yinka Fisher; National President, Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs /Agents (ANLCA), Mr Tony Iju Nwabunike, Executive Secretary, Lubricants Producers Association of Nigeria (LUBON), among others.