The Niger State Commissioner for Transportation who is also the Chairperson Nigeria Transportation Commissioners Forum (NTCF), Ramatu Yar’Adua, spoke recently with select reporters on the activities of the Forum and how it is championing road transport reforms in the country. She spoke on a number of issues bedeviling road transportation and proffers solutions which she said the Forum is already working on. SEYI BABALOLA was there. Excerpts:
The Nigeria Transportation Commissioners Forum came into limelight during the 2021 Federal Ministry of Transportation and Nigeria Transportation Commissioners Forum Retreat, can you tell us a bit more about the Forum?
Over the years, there have been huge gaps between where the sector needs to be and where it actually is due to lack of collaboration and synergy between the Federal and State Ministries of Transportation. To possibly bridge these gaps between the Federal and State levels, the Federal Ministry of Transportation saw the need to set up a Forum that will cover the existing gaps. That was achieved in 2017 at the annual stakeholders workshop on road transport and mass transit operations in Nigeria, held on the 14th of December 2017, under the watchful eyes of Honorable Minister of Transportation; Rt Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Ameachi, ably represented by the Director, Road Transportation and Mass Transit Administration Mrs. Anthonia Ekpa, Nigeria Transportation Commissioners’ Forum (NTCF) was inaugurated. This is the first of its kind, to actively and effectively promote inclusiveness, good governance, sustainable growth and development in the Transport Sector.
What is the Mission and Vision of the forum?
Our vision is to build a strong, non-partisan, non-profit Institution that brings together all 36 appointed Commissioners and State Special Assistant/Advisers on Transportation to actively and effectively promote inclusiveness, good Governance, sustainable growth and development in the Transportation Sector. And our mission is to provide a veritable platform for deliberations, communication and collaboration amongst Honorable Commissioners and Special Assistant/Advisers on Transport matters, Promote Good Governance, Peer to Peer Review Mechanism and enhance cooperation at State level and other relevant arms of Government, Public Sector and the society.
What has the forum achieved so far in the few years of existence in line with her set objectives?
The forum in line with her vision and mission has been able to galvanise the 36 Honorable Commissioners of Transport including FCT and Special Advisers in the pursuit of an all-inclusive policy drive, the Forum has opened up the space in promoting private sector participation, collaborations in developing the sector with technologies in line with best practices.
What inspired you to take up the daunting task of seating at the helm of a forum that is faced with numerous and overwhelming challenges associated with the transportation sector?
Seriously I did not campaign for this position. I acted for a couple of months and election was conducted that confirmed me to seat at the helm of the forum such as this. What can I do on my own? Honestly it is a collective effort of all Transport Commissioners, a fall out of the last annual retreat. On the challenges; we have set up five technical committees to look at some of these challenges, engage relevant governmental and non-governmental bodies within the sector for directions and possible solutions; but of course, we are not left on our own to tackle these long-lasting transportation challenges especially that of the road transport.
Over the years, there appears to be an apparent lack of synergy amongst leading Traffic Management Agencies: what will the forum do to address this situation?
Yes, it is a concern we have known and met, but the forum is working assiduously to bring all parties to a table of discussion for a better and improved safety drive within the country. Nigeria, as a treaty to the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety, is strategic in the pursuit of road safety and sanity amongst African countries as such, we need to put our house in order to pursue our goal.
The burden on road transport has contributed to massive decline and destruction of road and road infrastructures: what step (s) has the forum taken to address these challenges?
The responsibility of building and maintenance is not that of the Ministries of Transportation both at the Federal and State levels, but as part of our holistic approach to find possible solutions, the Federal Ministry of Transportation is interfacing with the Ministry of Works and Housing. On the part of state ministries, individual states are encouraged to embrace best practices and policies that will to a large extent reduce the pressure on our roads; which is the introduction of weigh bridges. The railway system is also a great way to reduce this destruction and pressure on our roads.
The rate of accidents involving articulated vehicles on our roads seems to be on the increase yearly; what strategic plans have been put in place to curb the situation?
The issue is really very disturbing and our approach is multi-sectoral. It has to begin with the standard of vehicles being brought to the country and the registration processes. Many trucks are wrongly licensed beyond its original tonnage thereby leading to brake failure as we can see everywhere. Therefore, to arrest this situation we should embark on vehicle audit of all trucks and license them accordingly. The forensic technology for this is available in the country. All relevant State authorities will be galvanized into action. The Forum has taken a position on this and will see it through.
The lack of National Transport Policy has contributed its quota to many of the numerous and legendry challenges in the sector. What will the forum do to arrest this situation?
As a federation, transportation is in the concurrent list. We have the National Council on Transportation where issues of national outlook are brought to the fore. This has culminated into numerous policies. The challenge in the past has been the will to follow through: hence the formation of the Forum to ensure resolutions adopted at every National platform are implemented to the later. Therefore, to say we don’t have National Transport Policy is not correct. The law recognises which tier of government is responsible for Aviation, Maritime, Pipeline, Roads, and Rail transportation systems.
There are complaints of numerous taxes in the road transport sector resulting in fare hike and undue burden on the citizenry. How is the Forum changing the narrative?
Sincerely the road transport sub-sector needs to be more organised. It is operated currently in a manner that everybody is an authority. We need to look at this. The Forum intends to take this up at the highest level. For example, Lagos State BRT and Abuja Urban Mass Transit are replica of the formalisation we are talking about. It has to cut across the federation and when this happens fares will be within controllable limits.
The transport sector is known to contribute massively to ozone layer depletion due to release of greenhouse gases. How is the Forum relating with Ministry of Environment to mitigate this trend?
We recognise the standards set by National Environmental Standard Regulation and Enforcement Agency (NESREA) and many states of the federation are domesticating these standards. So, if it is about policy or standard, we have it as a country. The position of the law is clear which says every private vehicle must be inspected once in a year and commercial vehicle twice in a year. It is expected that emission testing will be carried out to mitigate this menace. Today in the country we have over 100 computerised vehicle inspection centers where this is being carried out. The level of compliance is not optimum yet but it can and will be worked on.
What effort is the forum making to synergize and collaborate with all relevant stakeholders in the transportation sector?
At our retreat this year of which the theme was centered on synergy and collaborations, I think it goes beyond the sector. Even in our security architecture it was said that synergy was an issue. As a Forum we recognise that no one is an island and we have commenced engagement with all relevant stakeholders.