OPINION: “TRANSPORTATION AS CATALYST FOR DEVELOPMENT”….. By Dakuku Peterside
"It’s either we have not kept pace with development around the world in many of the sectors of the economy or we have completely abandoned some of them. Even within our ecological niche, it is seemingly hopeless to the extent that any modicum of light in darkness is visibly noticed and sometimes, celebrated".
Rivers State Born International Journalist, Dakuku
Peterside And His Unique Style Of Celebrating The Lion Of Niger Delta, Rt. Hon.
Dr C. R. Amaechi On His 55 Birthday.
There
is hardly any part of our national life today that is delivering satisfactory
service that meets global standards.
It’s either we have not kept pace with
development around the world in many of the sectors of the economy or we have
completely abandoned some of them. Even within our ecological niche, it is
seemingly hopeless to the extent that any modicum of light in darkness is
visibly noticed and sometimes, celebrated.
From education, power, industries, healthcare
to transportation, it is one sorry story or the other. The entire essence of
government is the welfare of the people, but our institutional paralysis leaves
so much to be desired.
In the books of history, no nation has ever salvaged its
people from the fangs of poverty by being complacent about the dysfunctional or
retrogressive state of her institutions and services.
One
sector that is critical to national economic life is transportation because of
its multiplier effect on other areas of national life.
The transport system of
any nation plays a significant role in its economic growth. It has rightly been
described as a catalyst that drives economic development through efficient
movement of raw materials from source to their final consumers and through
factories to markets.
Also, as the platform for movement of persons
and resources around the country, it generally enhances physical connectivity,
opening up every part of the country and driving social engineering.
An
economic life without transportation is unimaginable, simply put, it is wishful
thinking.
The
different modes of transport, air, land, sea and rail, exist for different
reasons and all have their places, each with their own merits and demerits.
Policy-makers are also often in a paradoxical situation where the different
modes compete with each other, rather than seeking complementarity and optimal
balance.
Nigeria has 28 airports, 20 of which are managed by Federal
Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN). None of our airports is among top 50
globally and despite being the biggest economy in Africa, as at 2019, none of
our airports was among top 10 in Africa. This does not negate the commendable
efforts in the aviation sector to ensure safety, meet world standards and
attain relevant certifications from ICAO, IATA etc.
We
are blessed with a long coastline of 853km and we have six port complexes
plus other ports and terminals but none of our ports is among top six in
Africa despite our significant consumption of finished goods and export of oil
and gas and agricultural products .
Again this does not undermine our
achievements in the shipping sector and ocean economy which is widely and
globally acknowledged.
On
roads, we are not among top ten countries in Africa with the best or longest
road network.
Less endowed countries like Cape Verde, Morocco, Mauritius,
Rwanda, Senegal, Botswana, Namibia, Cote D’Ivoire, Kenya and South Africa have
better road networks than the giant of AFRICA. Since transport is the trigger
for economic competitiveness, this lends some explanations for our deficient
comparative competitiveness despite the size of our market driven by
population.
Of
all these modes of transportation, one that can offer us the benefits of
efficiency, reliability, capacity to carry passengers, safety, cost
optimization, environmental friendliness and serve public welfare is rail
transport.
It also has capacity to co-operate with other modes of
transportation using intermodalism as a strategy. Unfortunately, before now,
the rail stream had suffered neglect like most other sectors that facilitate
productive national life.
In fact, beyond moving people around, a well
connected railway network is the preferred mode of transport for merchandise
and products like oil and gas, agricultural products and manufactured goods.
From
what we inherited from the colonial administration at independence, it appears
our rail was completely forgotten or abandoned, and there was no substantial
investment made to expand the rail lines or the capacity.
Abandoning the rail
lines put pressure on all other forms of transportation especially our roads
which in a matter of time, also caved in. With dysfunctional rails,
agricultural boom and industrialization suffered and expectedly, economic
growth generally was constrained.
Between
1960 and 1999, no substantial investment was made in rail aside from the award
of Itakpe-Ajaokuta-Warri line which was not executed.
We continued to operate
sub-optimally from the relics of what we inherited from the British. Then at
the advent of the current democratic dispensation, President Olusegun Obasanjo
cast a strategic vision for railway.
He initiated the 25-years master plan for
railway in 2004. He flagged off the Lagos – Kano standard gauge line in 2006 at
the twilight of his administration and so he could not do much. In his
foresight, Obasanjo advised that “no nation has achieved holistic development
without a coherent, integrated, efficient and reliable transportation system”.
The successor administrations attempted to revitalize railway but could not do
much for several reasons . Credit must be given to the Goodluck Jonathan
administration that sought to run with the plan and programme of the Obasanjo
administration but was inhibited by time.
President
Buhari in his determination to break the jinx, set a clear vision to change the
narrative of railway system.
He appointed Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi as
Minister of Transportation and gave him a charge, to give Nigeria and Nigerians
a modern, efficient, effective, affordable, safe and reliable rail system that
serves the interest and welfare of all.
As Minister, Hon. Amaechi took this
charge with the seriousness it deserves. He quickly devised a
three-prongedstrategy; rehabilitate and upgrade all existing 3,505km of narrow gauge
line across the country in phases, develop new rail lines to promote
intermodalism and inter connectivity, and finally create necessary framework
and structures for sustainability.
In
pursuit of the first prong of his strategy, he vigorously pushed for and
completed the monumental Abuja-Kaduna rail line in July 2016 which till date
has carried nearly two million passengers.
His thirst for developmental change
spurred him to resuscitate the Itakpe-Ajaokuta-Warri railway which was
initiated about 32 years ago without much progress. The project is now almost
completed. Work has also reached advanced stage on 156.5km double track
standard gauge Lagos–Ibadan rail line which has a southward extension to
Apapa seaport, with a firm commitment to deliver it this year.
Ibadan–Kano
will commence any moment from now. Rehabilitation of 480km Lagos-Jebba
narrow gauge railway, 624km Jebba-Kano narrow gauge, 468km
PH-Aba-Enugu-Markudi, 640km Karu-Bauchi-Gombe-Maiduguri rail line, 221km
Zaria-Funtua-Gusau-Kaura rail line, Markudi-Kafachan-Kaduna Junction narrow
gauge railway are all nearing completion and will be fully operational this
year.
At every point the Hon. Minister has proven that Nigerians are not bereft
of ideas or energy to deliver results but we just need focus, commitment and a
dose of patriotism to make life better for majority of us.
Another
bold step the Hon. Minister has taken is the conceptual development of 284km
Kano-Katsina-Maradi standard gauge rail, 2163km Port Harcourt-Maiduguri single
track rail, Itakpe-Abuja central line and the ambitious
Calabar-Yenegoa-Warri-Sapele-Benin-Ore-Lagos Coastal rail line with spur to
Otuoke, PH, Aba, Uyo, Obudu and Onitsha.
There can be no better demonstration
of deep understanding of the intersection between transportation and
development than this. For centuries, rail network has formed the foundation
for industrialization, productivity and economic efficiency for many developed
nations.
Noteworthy
is that the Hon. Minister did not lose focus of intra-city mass transit and
intercity rail system which enhances connectivity; Lagos Mass Transit Train
moving about 13,000 passengers daily and the Aba-Port Harcourt–Aba mass
transit. Intercity Passenger Service: Lagos–Kano–Lagos Train which
operates once a week, moving about 2,500 passengers, Offa–Kano–Offa train
also operates once a week, moving about 2,000 passengers and Minna–Kaduna–
Minna Train that shuttles 3 times per week, moving about 3,500
passengers.
There is also Kano–Nguru intercity Train which
operates 2 times per week, moving about 1,000 passengers and 200 tons of
luggage and parcels, and Port Harcourt–Kano-Port Harcourt Train once a week
which has been temporarily suspended and Zaria-Kaura Namoda-Zaria Train.
To
boost human capacity development, the Hon. Minister initiated the development
of University of Transport Daura to build the necessary manpower required to
drive railway.
He had also initiated rolling stock procurement for operations
and fabrication of strategic components of train elements in Nigeria. Legal
framework to drive sustainability and private sector participation in railway
is being put in place. You can see and feel the coherence of strategy and
implementation in the Buhari railway renaissance agenda .
One
of the greatest challenges we face is sustainability of rail projects. The
modalities of the railway encompass physical activities which will remain a
constant.
As the world ushers in the digital revolution which are likely to put
economies of nations under immense threats, disruptions in logistics, will only
complement the existing modalities of the railway systems, rather than replace
them completely. So the railway remains a formidable force for commerce, at
least in the short term, until such a time when science and technology
discovers a cheaper and more efficient means of moving resources and persons
from one point to another.
We
often underestimate little things that make a difference. Rt Hon C R Amaechi
has demonstrated in Transportation that vision, values, strategic planning,
integrity, passion, hardwork, focus and patriotism are necessary ingredients in
leadership to make lasting positive impact. By reinventing railways in
Nigeria, he has left a legacy and written his name in gold in the minds of Nigerians.
We
need many more Amaechis who are emotionally intelligent, can live above self
and model the values that make nations great.
Wherever we find one, let’s celebrate them to enable others come forward and know
that selflessness and patriotism are valued in this part of the world. Please
permit me to wish Rt Hon C R Amaechi a happy birthday.
Culled from The Leadershipgroup on
May 25, 2020
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