The Director General and Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology, NITT Zaria, Dr. Bayero Salih Farah have said the Smart Transport Databank infrastructure is capital intensive and requires state-of-the-art technologies, therefore the public sector alone cannot cope with the required capital outlay to achieve the project for the whole nation because of competing demands of resources from other sectors of the National Economy. This therefore calls for collaboration and cross-pollination of ideas and material resources. It was this that motivated the institutes to look for investors through a Public Private Partnership (PPP).
Bayero Farah said this at a one-day Stakeholders Engagement Forum with the theme Smart National Transport Databank (NTD) organized by the Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology, NITT Zaria, which was declared open by the Minister of Transportation Sen. Said Ahmed Alkali.
“The theme of this forum is chosen taking cognizance of the Institute’s previous efforts towards the establishment of a functional National Transport Databank (NTD) for the benefit of the Nation’s transport and logistics sector, as well as for National Economic development. Indeed, this project is one of the core mandates of the Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology (NITT) as enshrined in the legal instrument establishing the Institute – Decree No. 6 of 1986 now, CAP 116, LFN, 2004.
However, the Smart Transport Databank infrastructure is capital-intensive and requires state-of-the-art technologies. The public sector alone cannot cope with the required capital outlay to achieve the project for the whole nation because of competing demands for resources from other sectors of the National Economy. This therefore calls for collaboration and cross-pollination of ideas and material resources. It was this that motivated the institutes to look for investors through a Public Private Partnership (PPP), as enshrined in relevant laws of the federation. The benefits this project will bring to the country are enormous and the return on investment (ROI) can be very substantial, considering the high demand for transportation services in the country.”
The Minister of Transportation in his keynote opening address highlighted the importance of the Smart National Transport Databank in the national development goals of the government, he therefore urged the participants to contribute by making inputs that would deepen the policy leading to an efficient transport system
The Corps Marshal, Dauda Ali Biu of the Federal Road Safety Corps, (FRSC) calls for synergy between FRSC and NITT because the corps has considerable data on the vehicles and road users that operate in Nigeria.
President of the Chartered Institute of Transport Administration of Nigeria, CIOTA rests on five pillars: road, aviation, railway, and others. He further said without the requisite data on the transportation system we cannot attract the requisite investment to drive the economy. CiTo will work hand in hand with the NIIT to achieve this goal through collaboration.
Hon. Jalaludeen Chairman of Road Transport Employers of Nigeria, Kaduna who represented the national chairman, Musa Mohammed spoke on the benefits of Smart National Transport Databank and said it goes beyond the transportation sector but also improves the quality of lives through road safety and creates new economic opportunities. He therefore thanked and appreciated the leadership of NITT and Ministry of Transport for the forum and the continuous support of the body.
On his part, the national chairman of NARTO praised the leadership of NITT that organized the forum to discuss and ponder issues relating to the Smart National Database amongst stakeholders. Assures of NARTO support to achieve the set goals.
The representative of the DG of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission speaks on the ACTs that established the commission and how it supports MDAs for legacy concessions. He Congratulates the DG of NITT and the management for coming up with an important forum to discuss issues of Smart National Transport Databank.
The event which takes place at the Continental Hotels, Abuja had in attendance stakeholders in the transport sector as well as the military and law enforcement agencies..
Source: Aspheric News
