By correspondent in Minna.
(c).NSTA,Minna.
Niger state government says it has concluded plans to revive the state-owned, Niger State Transport Authority (NSTA) with a view to making the sector more responsive to the yearnings and aspirations of Nigerlites,through, Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement with foreign agencies.
Part of the PPP arrangement will include the provision of different types and sizes of Tractors by a United States of America based company Mahindra Tractor to enable farmers improve on food production for local and export purposes.
The Special Adviser to Governor Umar Bago on PPP, Mr. Jonathan Tsado Vatsa, who disclosed this during an interactive session with newsmen in Minna said, Sanson and Rakiyat Project Limited, the company at the centre of the deal, had agreed to partner with the state government to achieve desired goals.
Vatsa, however, said the 500 automobiles were not for the NSTA alone but for interested organised private sector,including the National Union Road Transport Workers, (NURTW), National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) and the Amalgamated Commercial Motorcycle/Tricycle Riders Association of Nigeria (ACMORAN).
“Niger state government is providing the enabling environment, we already have letters from some foreign agencies and companies who will be bringing in no fewer than 500 different brands of vehicles, including; Suzuki, Hiace and Toyota to boost the transportation sector”.
Vatsa, a former Commissioner and former state Publicity Secretary of the APC, said the only way the Bago-led administration could realize it dreams of a ‘new Niger state’ is to embrace the concept of PPP which is the driver of genuine development, all over the world today.
The global economic meltdown, compounded by the COVID-19 era affected most countries, including Nigeria, reliance on the monthly Federal Allocation to drive the, ‘New Niger state of our collective dreams’ is no longer feasible and that is why the state government opted for some projects to be undertaken through the PPP initiatives.
Jonathan Vatsa, who told journalists that his office received about four letters from different foreign investors, wanting to partner with the Bago administration in various sectors said, one of the investors planned to establish state-of-the-art dialysis centre in Minna, the state capital,to cater for the health needs of the people.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
