FG pledges to improve standard of living through infrastructure development

The Minister of Transport, Mr Rotimi Amaechi said on Wednesday that the Federal Government was committed to improving the standard of living of its citizens through infrastructure development.

Amaechi, who was represented by Alhaji Wakil Adamu, Director Planning and Research, said the role of transport was a key to the sustenance of commerce and other human activities.

“The role of logistics, transport and supply chain cannot be overemphasised at a time when the government is seeking to improve the quality of life of its citizens through infrastructure development.

“You may recall that President Muhammadu Buhari launched a four-year economic recovery and growth plan, spanning through the year 2017 to 2020.

“Declaring that his administration will henceforth drive aggressive economic growth with the same zeal and vigour it has deployed to fight corruption and insecurity.

“In this regard, this administration places a high premium on the revival of the transport sector in its entirety by the rehabilitation of existing transport infrastructure and the provision of new ones.

“Also, ensuring capacity building while finding ways to improve the financial capabilities of the citizenry,’’ he said.

Sen. Gbenga Ashafa, Chairman Senate Committee on Land Transport, said that prioritising the evolution of transport sector would bring about the maximisation of the potentials in the sector.

He said that the government should put in place institutional frameworks that would entrench professionalism in the transport sector.

According to him, this could be achieved by training and retraining both the operators and the regulators of the sector.

“While the National Assembly has done its part in providing regulatory framework for your institute; we look forward to the assent of President Muhammadu Buhari on the bill in no distant future,” he said.

He, however, said there was need for African countries to transcend its current level of basic transportation.

Mr Ibrahim Jibril, National President CILT, called for the integration of Diploma Certificate into the Civil Service Commission and also an expansion of membership base in the African Continent.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the conference was organised by the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT).

The event was scheduled for 3-day with stakeholders in the transport sector across the country coming together to exchange ideas on how to move the sector forward.