CIOTAN chats roadmap to reviving Nigeria’s multi-modal transport system

By Dapo Olawuni

Following the recent signing of its Act into law by President Muhammadu Buhari in June 2019, the Chattered Institute of Transport Administration of Nigeria (CIOTAN) has rolled out its next line of action, assuring that the Institute is committed to reviving the moribund multimodal transport system in Nigeria.

Speaking at the maiden National Press Conference and Executive Council Meeting held in Apapa Lagos yesterday, President of CIOTAN, Dr. Bashir Jamoh said the assent of the National Assembly and the Presidency to its bill shows that they are much concerned about challenges in the transport sector.

CIOTAN National President, Dr. Bashir Jamoh (2nd from left) and other members of the CIOTAN executive committee at the inaugural press briefing in Lagos yesterday

He said the Institute will establish valuable partnership and strategic alliances with all target stakeholders including the Federal Ministry of Transportation and other related agencies in aviation, roads, rails, maritime, pipeline; transport Labour Nigerian Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW)

Jamoh who is also the Executive Director Finance, argued that the major problem in the transport sector today is the dearth of the rail system.

He said that lot of revolutions has been embarked upon by the present administration of Buhari in terms of rail system, and that the President has equally directed that all ports must be connected with rail lines.

“In those days, not up to three decades when I came to Lagos, you can easily have your container transported via rail, you can take it from Apapa port, Lillypond, Kaduna and so on”

“As far as this government is concerned in the last four years, there has been a lot of revolutions in terms of rail system, the President has equally directed that all ports must be connected with rail lines. It may not be as fast as you think, because it is easy to destroy, today if you go to the Naval Dockyard, you would see rail lines where people have buildings on top of them”

“The rail lines have its own provisions and there is nowhere in the world where people build houses on top of rail lines, today, if you go to Apapa, you would see those rail networks being used as a building, and you expect it all to work back in a single day? It is not possible because the rail was not built in a day”

“We need to be patient and gradually we would get there, as far as the Institute is concerned, we would do what is required of us to do”

He assured that CIOTAN would liaise with some of the tertiary institutions for different research works on transport administration.

“It is only the CIOTA as of today that is registered by the Act of parliament as a professional body. So, as professionals we would ensure that we work to suggest to the federal government in terms of policies and implementation”

Some of the objectives of the institute as reeled out by Jamoh includes setting standards of practice and determine the knowledge to be attained by persons seeking to become registered members of the Institute and practice as Charters Transporters, and reviewing those standards from time runtime as circumstances May require.

Others includes to “Secure in accordance with the provisions of this Act the establishment and maintenance of register of students, associates members, members and fellows of the Institute and the publication from time to time of the list of those members entitled to practise as chartered transporters”

“Perform such other functions as May be necessary for the advancement of the Institute and the Transport management profession”

“We will continue to train professionals and also advise government and all stakeholders to adopt and implement global best practices in Transport Administration”

“We will build a reputation as a world class institute of Transport Administration by providing and advancing topnoch study, training, certification and practice of transport management and administration in Nigeria and other related matters”

“We will also expand the transportation practice footprint across Nigeria by becoming a reputable institute nationwide based on the mandate of the Act”

“The six two political zones will be duly covered to lead specific transportation related initiatives from water in the South South to rail and inland in the north west roads in the east; north central will focus on pipelines/cable transport and aviation in the Lagos hub of the South West”

“We will continue to train professionals and also advise government and all stakeholders to adopt and implement global best practices in transport administration”