Minna
An expert on project management, Dr Haruna Penni has called on project Managers to support the actualisation of the Project Continuity Bill, in the interest of effective management of projects, particularly road projects in the country.
He made the call while delivering a lecture, entitled, “Overview of Implementation of Rural Road Infrastructure in Nigeria with Special Reference to Niger State” in Niger state.
Penni spoke at the conferment of Corporate Award of Excellence on the Management of Niger State Rural Access and Mobility Projects (RAMP-2) by the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) in Minna.
The expert expressed optimism that, if passed and assented to by the President, the Bill canould end deplorable condition of Nigerian roads.
The quest lecturer recalled that the Bill which was presented by the erstwhile National Planning Commission in 2014 transmitted to National Assembly for necessary action had not seen the light of the day.
He noted that the draft was aimed at criminalising abandonment of ongoing projects by successive governments, irrespective of political leaning or incoming Administratordissolution.
According to him, unless such law is in place, the current state of abandonment of projects of many road projects in Nigerian would be unabated.
He described as worrisome, a development whereby political leaders, projects managers and contractors had reduced the impacts of public works, adding that this had compounded the woes of Nigerians in accessing motorable roads.
Penni said: “At all levels of governance, it is observed that Nigeria has been unfortunate with prevalence of resources mismanagement.
“These resources are otherwise well-conceived projects and programmes, designed to uplift the people and mitigate incidences of underdevelopment”.
“I call on Project Managers to press for the actualisation of the Bill before the National Assembly.
“They should as well as use any model such as Build-Operate- Transfer (BOT), Design-Construct-Maintain- Finance (DCMF); Design-Build-Finance-Operate (DBFO).”
The President of RTEAN, Chief Abubakar Sadiq,had earlier in his address of welcome, advised commuters to be safety conscious at all times by ensuring that they board vehicles from recognised motor parks.
Sadiq, who spoke through the RTEAN Secretary-General, Comrade Abdullahi Jabi, said with the spate of insecurity in the country, commuters should not risk falling victims to kidnappers and ritual killers posing as commercial drivers.
He described such people as those”hunting for who to kill across Nigeria’s major highways.”
Sadiq disclosed that RTEAN had about 5.2 million members, spread across the 774 local government areas, ready transport travelers to their various destinations and at affordable rate.
“Travelers should try and avoid exposing themselves to danger,boarding unregistered vehicles along highways,” he stressed.
