Key stakeholders and players will be engaged to make submissions and give suggestions that will enhance the development in line with Global best practice and optimise its contribution to national development in the coming weeks.
This suggestions, formed part of the recommendations posited by players in the Road Transportation Sector for policy makers in the Tinubu led Government, forming the first in the series of many of such suggestions that will touch the various industries in the Road Sector.
One of the infrastructures that arguably will accelerate the realisation and transform the dreams cum the expectations of Nigeria’s economic goals in the year 2025 is the Road infrastructure. It should therefore be the number one sub-sector that the Government should make capital investments in.
The expectations of Nigerians is the unwavering commitment of the government to the provision of vital infrastructural facilities, such as roads which is a central petal force in driving maximum productivity of other sectors, after all transportation is the wheel that drives economic growth in countries across the World with the road sub sector responsible for 90% of such mobility in Nigeria.
It is argued that this should be the number one sub-sector that the Government should make capital investments in. Every other sector of the economy needs the roads to carry out their various functions; it is the fulcrum for the rapid socio, economic and political development of any society. The road is the centripetal force around which developmental strides are woven.
The completion of on-going or abandoned road construction projects with the construction of new durable and quality roads, should be a top priority for the government and complemented by the reconstruction, repair and fixing of bad roads.
The construction of drainages and sidewalks to adequately suck and sip in excess water after each rain, is a necessity in every road construction, experts have said.
They added that the ease of traffic gridlocks, hold-ups and go slows through an effective road traffic management system, should be accentuated with the curbing of the spate of accidents, arm-robberies and banditry on our highways through an effective surveillance and security mechanism.
They opined this could be achieved by the lighting up our roads at night and installation of CCTV cameras, to encourage wealthy individuals, Corporate organisations and institutions to take up road repairs and maintenance as part of their corporate social responsibility (CSR) project and to reduce to the barest minimum the cost of road construction by opening-up exploration and investment opportunities in the large deposit of bitumen and limestone in Nigeria.
Government agencies in charge of road constructions, maintenance and traffic management should make public, objective information of the cost of road projects, contract bids; selection processes, contract awards and other related issues.
Government should explore and embrace alternative means of road construction that is cheaper, cost effective and suitable to our climatic condition in Nigeria.
Roads and Road Furniture must be constructed with the safety component well taken care of and the process of awarding the contract should be such that it will not leave the Contractor with less money to implement the job thereby doing shoddy or inferior jobs.
The process should be corruption – free. When Officers of Government milk Contractors, they will not have quality jobs.
The process of delaying the funding of contracts also depletes Government funds through frequent cost review of ongoing projects. Many roads were constructed without traffic signs, road marking, and other road furniture thereby making them death traps
Adequate attention needs to be paid to the provision of quality Education to all road users, including; (Drivers, Riders, Pedestrians and others). The Driving Schools charged with the mandate for Road Users Education should be supported by the Governments as it obtains in Countries like the United Kingdom.
All Road Users must undergo periodic training in accredited Driving Schools as contained in the National Road Traffic Regulations (2012 and 2016 Amendments), Resolutions of the National Council of State(2014, 2021 and 2022) and the Nigeria Road Safety Strategy(2021 – 2030).
Road Safety Education should be included in the Curriculum of Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Institution with serious and result – oriented support from the Governments.
Traffic Law Harmonisation and Enforcement
The traffic regulations of the Federal Road Safety Commission, Nigeria Police Act/ Federal Highway Act and the various State traffic Regulations should be thoroughly harmonised for uncompromised enforcement nationwide.
The use of modern day technology should be embraced for a more effective and uncompromised environment nationwide.
Too many Nigerians are dying daily on the road. The Governments should no longer place revenue above the Safety of irreplaceable lives and valuable properties.
An end should be put to the recurring quarrels or arguments about which Arm of Government has the right over the other to control traffic or enforce traffic laws on one road or the other.
The National Assembly and the Judiciary to work on the establishment of Small Claims Courts dedicated to the prosecution of Traffic Offenders nationwide instead of the unstable Mobile Court system currently in use.
The use CCTV Cameras particularly at black spots of the roads nationwide and connected to an independent control room should be created. The Nigerian Government can work towards linking the CCTV Cameras to the BVN of all vehicle Owners so that the stipulated fines for traffic offences can be deducted automatically from the bank accounts of the vehicle Owners without human intervention which could be corrupted. This will further ensure sanity on the roads.
Road Worthiness Of Vehicles
The Federal Government should intensify efforts to disallow vehicles that are not road worthy from being imported into the Country. It is not only rickety vehicles that are not roadworthy. For example, any new or used car that has red colour as turn indicator or pointer instead of yellow is not roadworthy.
Likewise, any car without airbags, no matter how new, is not roadworthy. There are global road safety standards that must be strictly adhered to. Nigeria is already a Signatory to the International Road Safety Conventions.
Conventions
The President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria should go through all the Road Safety Conventions which Nigerian Governments have signed and work assiduously to implement them to drastically reduce and ultimately end the loss of lives on Nigeria roads.
Committee
The President should set up a Committee of Road Safety Stakeholders to critically examine the points I raised in this write up and much more so that objective and result – oriented recommendations can be made available to the President for proactive policies and decisions.
Public Transportation
There has been a gross neglect of public transportation by the Federal and State Governments in Nigeria.
There is a need for the 10th Assembly of the new Federal Government to take a deep look at the new National Transport Bill, review and sign it into law for full implementation.
Instead of individual operation of the public transportation system, corporate operation should be adopted to reduce crime.
The Mass Transit system should also be encouraged with financial support from the Government.
The use of Public Private Partnership strategy should be adopted to construct many networks of strategic and commercial roads nationwide without putting financial pressures on the Government.
Organised Park System and Rest Bays
As at today, there is no standard Motor Park in Nigeria except in Lagos and Oyo States that have very few which are grossly inadequate in the 2 States.
The absence of standard motor parks in the various States is further complicating Nigeria’s poor public transportation and road traffic systems.
There are no single ‘Rest Bays’ along any of the Federal Roads thereby prompting motorists to park on road shoulders, causing accidents and destroying the roads.
Joint Task Force could be added to the Rest Bay operations.
That is, the operation offices of Nigeria Police, FRSC, NDLEA, Nigeria Customs, Nigeria Immigration and Small Claims Courts could be established as appendages to all the Rest Bays to enhance their operations, security and safety on the strategic roads covered.
The Rest Bays should also have Driver Training Facilities and Driver Licence Processing centres where traffic law violators can be offered correctional training and refined for safer road use.
Increase private sector participation
The incoming administration should ensure and engender greater participation of the private sector in the development and improvement of the state of our roads. To achieve this it will mean that the administration should be ready to provide all the necessary incentives for motivation and guarantee return on investment no matter the prevailing economic situation.
It is believed that with a well-orchestrated, organised and integrated plan of action, the private sector could be given a level playing field to play a critical role in complementing the efforts of the government in the provision of this all important social service.
A classic example of such is the reconstruction and beautification of Ajose Adeogun Street in Victoria Island by Zenith Bank as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) project. Much of such can be replicated by other blue chip organisations operating in the country and the larger society will be the better for it.
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