Partnership key to road transport transformation – Saraki

By Dirisu Yakubu

Minister of State for Transportation, Senator Gbemisola Saraki, Tuesday, pledged the readiness of the ministry to partner stakeholders to transform the road transport sub-sector in the country.

The Minister stated this while playing host to a delegation of the National Freight Hauliers Association, NFHA, which was a courtesy visit to her office in Abuja.

The Minister, who was represented by the Director of Road Transport and Mass Transit Administration, Ministry of Transportation, Mrs Esther Ehigie, said only a partnership with relevant stakeholders will revitalize the sector for the benefit

“The Ministry and the Minister is very concerned about the state of road transportation in this country and we are trying to do something about it. But definitely we cannot do it alone, so the ministry, in partnership with other operators in the field, is going to make sure that both sectors are transformed.

READ ALSO:WHO okays six-week delay for Moderna COVID-19 booster shot

“Every sector in the road transportation is being looked at because we want to be able to compete globally and that means we must do things right and maintain standards to ensure that Nigeria is where she is supposed to be, ” she said.

In her submission, Jackson Bent, the National President of  NHFA urged the federal government to fish out miscreants who run illegal transport unions to defraud unsuspecting transporters and motorists across the country to serve as deterrent to others

Bent, who lamented the activities of touts /miscreants, said their conducts have led to multiple taxation in the transport sector as well as hike in commuter fare and prices of goods.

“Our association strongly believe that with the Ministry of Transportation, its effort to ensure that freight haulage is truly professionalised, stakeholders must be united, patriotic and should endeavour to synergies with the ministry and relevant agencies to impact the nation.

“To avoid proliferation of same association, we deem it fit to advise the Federal Ministry of Transportation to liaise with Minister of Labour and Productivity and the Registrar General of the Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC, for careful, transparent guide against mushroom bodies coming up as lorry unions, pickup unions, and the likes, having to do with freight haulage.

“This is necessary because such units’ registration would not help to achieve model success in the industry and will not help the expected haulage transportation growth of the economy. It will only lead to hike in prices to the end users,” she added.

The post Partnership key to road transport transformation – Saraki appeared first on Vanguard News.