Nigeria to get transport policy before May 29, unbundle NRC – Minister

Determined to grow the nation’s transportation sector, the Federal Ministry of Transportation has resolved to see to the enactment of the National Transport Commission (NTC) Bill before the end of this administration.

This will enable the nation to have a transport policy that would lead to development and competitiveness.

Mu’azu Jaji Sambo, minister of transportation, who disclosed this to journalists on the sideline of World Maritime Day, said the leadership of the ministry will do everything possible to ensure that the country gets a National Transport Policy before May 29, 2023.

According to him, the ministry has already identified grey areas that have been preventing the enactment of the policy.

He said the grey areas have been generating controversies between the Federal Ministry of Transportation and the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing.

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“We cannot build anything on nothing. Today, we do not have a National Transport Policy. We have noted the grey areas and we are conversant with them. We will put them behind us as soon as possible to enable the country to have a policy that would serve as a foundation to develop the nation’s transportation sector,” he said.

He said the ministry would also like to see to the unbundling of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) as there was a committee set up by the past Minister of Transport to look into the unbundling of the NRC.

The Minister further said that the country has invested a lot of money to construct rail lines that are critical to national infrastructure.

“We cannot have an agency that is the regulator, the operator and also the owner. So, I will like to see a Railway Corporation that is not three in one. Concessionaires can be brought in to manage a part of the railways to become competitive,” he said.

According to him, “We can solicit for people who are interested in running the lines efficiently, competitively and cost-effectively, so as to generate revenue for the government to pay back some of the loans it took and at the same time for the concessionaires to make a living, employing Nigerians and putting food on the table for ordinary people.”

He said the NRC must fulfil the mandate of paying back debts, sourced through foreign loans, generating revenue for the government and creating employment for Nigerian youths.