The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, on Wednesday, urged transport stakeholders to suggest sustainable strategies and polices that will bring about rapid urban mobility and effective transportation system in Africa.
Amaechi said this at the ongoing Sub-Sahara Africa Transport Policy Programme(SSATP) Annual General Meeting (AGM) organised by World Bank and the Ministry of Transportation in Abuja.
The minister, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Sabiu Zakari, said that the meeting was expected to review and update transport framework that would improve the system.
“I therefore urge all of us to take advantage of the meeting and develop sustainable strategies and polices that will bring about rapid urbanisation and strategy development through effective and efficient transportation in Africa.
“In addition, this meeting is expected among others to review and update work programmes, agreed on activities of development plan and follow up on programmes regarding road safety,” he said.
He, however, said that recommendations should be made and priority interventions to improve the accessibility and mobility of the transport sector.
However, Mr Jean Kabanguka, Lead Advisor, African Development Bank Group (ADBG) said that the legal framework of many of the Africa countries were outdated which needs to be reviewed for an effective transport infrastructure.
According to him, public institutions is very weak because we don’t have the right institutional set up and when we have the right institutional set up, the management of the institution is also weak.
He said there is a huge gap in transport infrastructure in Africa compared with other countries, stating that ADBG will support countries, to update their regulatory framework and to strengthen their institutions.
Kabanguka said the bank was into Public-Private Partnership (PPP), to seek how it can support the transport industry to be more professional in terms of the ways they operate in the system.
World Bank, Practice Manager, Transport Southern Africa, Mr Benedict Ejibergen, said funding was one of the critical issue in transport infrastructure.
He said that the bank was finding ways to keep funding through low cost project and engaging private investors in major infrastructural development.
