‘Adopt integrated transportation model for national growth’

Head of Geography Department, University of Lagos, Prof. Samuel Oni, and Prof. Micheal Filani of the University of Ibadan have recommended an integrated transportation system to tackle the numerous challenges confronting the sector in the country.

 

They spoke during the national transportation conference organised by UNILAG Geography Department in Lagos.

Oni advised that all modes of transportation should be managed and operated as an integrated system to complement and enhance each other.

He said, “Nigeria’s current transportation system is made up of four transportation modes – land, water, aviation/air and pipelines. These four elements should be connected inter-modally to provide for an efficient and effective transportation system.”

“The infrastructure, operations management, planning and policy framework must focus on efficient geo-database infrastructure and personnel. An integrated transportation system will improve access to amenities, information, markets, intermodal passenger and freight transport system.”

Oni explained that a holistic, global and integrated view of transportation services and operations should be taken to reduce the expenses in the country.

He added, “This approach will result in a system that is actually a system of systems, with multiple interfaces, shared information and infrastructural elements. Unless this approach is adopted, we will continue to spend hundreds of billions on Naira in the coming decades on old, mode-specific concept that cannot handle today’s demands, lets alone those of the future.

“This can be achieved through public and private sector investment; rationalise system design and operations at a level above individual modes and improving the availability of transportation services by increasing the coverage of feeder connections as well as expanding from a hub-and-spoke system to a distribution grid network for national regional and line-haul services.”

Also, an Emeritus Prof. from the University of Ibadan, Department of Geography, Micheal Filani, noted that the population of the country required an effective an environmental friendly transportation system.

He said, “There is need to identify some critical priorities necessary to make the transport sector more efficient through the promotion of an integrated transportation system. One major fundamental problem of the development of Nigeria’s transport is the lack of a national transport policy.

“Integration, though market driven in line with Federal Government Policy, will allow each mode to carry traffic for which it is best suited, lower overall transport cost, improve productivity and efficiency of the transport system and reduce the burden of overstressing some infrastructures.”

CULLED FROM: PUNCH NEWSPAPERS

February 19, 2013 by Sodiq Oyeleke

Browse More Articles

Tweet

Written by NEWSTRAWL ONLINE UPDATE

Sodiq Oyeleke is a Media, Human Resources, Project Management and Public Relations Practitioner