Don advocates establishment of road transport authority

APROFESSOR and former Dean, Faculty of Transportation and Logistics at the Lagos State University ( LASU), Prof. Samuel Odewumi, has called on the Federal Government to create a definite parastatal for the effective management of all affairs about roads in Nigeria.

Odewumi made this call on the sideline of an all- inclusive transportation talk shop at the Faculty of Transport and Logistics in LASU, Lagos State.

Backing up his advocacy for the establishment of a Road Transport Authority in Nigeria, Odewumi cited the existence of the railway corporation solely for managing all matters bordering on rail transportation, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency ( NIMASA) and now a full ministry as Marine and Blue Economy , for water transport issues, and the Aviation Ministr y for air travels.

Odewumi reasoned that since these aforementioned sectors of transportation are managed by dedicated parastatals, nothing should stop the Federal Government from creating a ministry with the mandate of effectively running the affairs of road transport, which is in fact, the most used and most vital means of mobility for economic and life survival in Nigeria. “With a professionally well- managed, dedicated ministry for road transportation in Nigeria, the country stands to gain a lot in terms of economic and human survival.

“Today, Nigeria has the record of the highest rate of road accidents in the world. “This is not patronising at all but if the government can look into this suggestion, this ugly narrative can be reversed,” Odewumi posited.

He also proffered that the three ‘ E’s of road management must be observed for economic and human survival; namely: Enforcement, Enlightenment and Education.

Earlier in the day, an inexhaustible discourse was held wherein all stakeholders in the road and water transportation sectors spoke variously on germaine issues affecting the sectors.

Issues of over- speeding, drunk driving, use of articulated vehicles, and unethical conduct of road and vehicular safety personnel of various respective names and uniforms were raised and suggestions were made to tackle such issues.

Central to the talk shop was that safety on the nation’s roads and waterways must be seen as the responsibility of everyone.