‘Transport sector can take Nigeria out of recession’

The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Transportation, Mr Sabiu Zakari, says the transportation sector holds the key to any economy and can contribute immensely to taking Nigeria out of its economic challenges. He also disclosed plans to connect all seaports, airports and Inland Container Depots by rail.

“The vision is for a farmer in Sokoto to be able to send his goods from his farms by road to the nearest inland container depot, where it would be carried by rail to one of the seaports for export to Europe, America, Asia,” he stated.

Zakari who stated this at the opening session of the 15th National Council on Transportation holding in Sokoto, stressed that “sustainable development of an economy can be directly linked to an efficient transportation system.”

He noted: “The current transport infrastructure and services are inadequate to cope with the country’s huge population and so the need to develop and integrate the various modes has become a necessity to enhance the nation’s transportation system.

“Transportation holds the key to any economy and forms the basis of all socioeconomic intercations. It constitutes a significant factor in the sustainable development of any economy through the facilitation of the movement of goods and persons, promotion of social cohesion, integration and unity of a country,” he stated.