By Correspondent in Abuja
The Chartered Institute of Transport Administration of Nigeria (CIOTA) said it has begun the process of making transportation a more professional sector in the country.
The National President and Chairman, Council of the institute, Dr Bashir Jamoh, made the disclosure during the 2nd National Transport Summit and Annual General Meeting and Governing Council Inauguration in Abuja on Tuesday.
The theme of the meeting is “Building Sustainable Transport Infrastructure in Nigeria :Opportunities, Innovation and Technologies.”
Jamoh said the move was to ensure that the sector meet up with the global best standards and practices in the world.
He said: “If you don’t have what it takes, then you don’t have business to hold a position of professionals in transportation within the industry.
“I am glad today, having established and elected new council members, the journey begins today with a transport development tripod.
“The three tripods are: professionalism, Training and Education while the third is Advocacy.
“Under the professionalism, the institute will work hard with the Federal Government in ensuring that it develops a curriculum to enable only members of the institution get recognition to occupy positions in the transport sector.
“Professionalism will become paramount to tackle the challenges of infrastructure, maintenance and sustainability, caused by low professionalism within the workforce.
“t is the duty of the Institute, from today, to work with the Head of Service of the Federation to ensure only those who are professionals with prerequisite expertise and speed can man the various positions in any of transportation organisations.”
The President of CIOTA, also the Director-General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) however said that there was need to acquire the certification of the institute before joining any public office in transport sector.
He advised those interested in joining transport business to get certificated before embarking on transport business.
Jamoh said the institute would draw up a curriculum to keep the professionals abreast of professionalism in the transport sector.
The national president added that after getting approval from the Ministry of Education the challenges in the sector would be a thing of the past.
He said that the federal government, through the Minister of Transportation, had invested in modern technology in the sector which he said needed professional to manage them properly.
The Minister of Aviation, Capt. Hadi Sirika, who was represented by Managing Director, Nigerian Air Space Management Authority (NAMA), Capt Fola Akinkuotu, identified aging equipment as one of the challenges facing the sector.
Sirika, however, said that aviation sector was able to meet up with global standards with the establishment of the Public Private Partnership (PPP).
The Minister also said that there was need to establish business model that would make the transportat industry research sustained as well as improve infrastructure and services, through PPP.
The Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC), Mr Hassan Bello,in his goodwill message urged CIOTA to regulate and control the practice of professional transport management and administration.
Bello explained that this would help in ensuring enhanced professionalism in transportation sector toward improved economy of the country.
The council official described transport as to the efforts aimed at developing the economy, especially now that Niger needed to diversify its economy.
“It is important we look at that transport sector that is able to generate over N7 trillion per annum and if we do that, it means we are creating modern transport infrastructure and massive employments.
” There is need to be specified to enable operators of transport infrastructure to speak to one another, especially as we are going into Africa Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).
” In the cost of production, we spend more 40 per cent on transportation, this should not be so, we should be looking at 17 per cent so that we fee other resources on collective productive services.
“Nigeria has to be a producing and exporting nation which must be competitive, that is why we need to develop our infrastructure to ease time of doings business,” he said.
The Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC),Dr Boboye Oyeyemi, represented by Deputy Corp Marshal in charge of Motor Vehicle, Mr Kenneth Nwegbe, commended the institute.
Oyeyemi commended the institute for identifying the important direction of transport needs and activating it in the choice of the theme of the summit.
He said that was transportation remained a key driver of national development leading to the rapid industrialisation, economic growth and national transformation.
The FRSC boss said that transport sector was an important component of the global economy where opportunities had increasingly been related to the mobility of people and freight, including information and communication technologies.
The Director-General, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NACA), Capt. Musa Nuhu, said the Minister of Aviation, Capt. Hadi Sirika, had taken a bold step in establishing a roadmap for aviation sector.
Nuhu, who was represented by Mr Mustapha Yerima, said that the establishment of the roadmap had actualised sustainability of developing infrastructure of establishing four main International airport.
Nuhu said this includes building of new terminals in Lagos, Abuja and upgrading Port-Harcourt, Enugu and Kaduna airports.
He disclosed that the aviation sector was working toward establishing runway at Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja, acquisition of trainer aircraft for Nigerian college of Aviation Technology, Zaria and upgrading air Navigation facilities among others.
The former Director-General, Nigerian Maritime Administration (NMA), Dr Ferdinand Agu, said it had been estimated in 2020 that Nigeria would the the third or forth populous country in the world.
Agu said that it was delightful that Nigeria was working toward producing number professionals committed to moving the nation in terms of efficiency to man transportation sector.
