The Niger state Commissioner for transport and Chairperson Transport Commissioners Forum, Rahamatu Mohammed Yar’adua has advocated the need to imbibe maintenance culture through periodic vehicle inspection to ascertain road worthiness of trucks and other vehicles so as to reduce road accidents.
In this riveting interview with our correspondent, Rahamatu Mohammed Yaradua gives insights into the activities of the Nigeria Transportation Commissioners Forum and how periodic inspection of vehicles would mitigate against ozone layer depletion.
Read below excerpt from the interview:
Can we get to know more about you ma’am?
My name is Mrs. Rahamatu Mohammed Yar’adua. I am the Honorable Commissioner, Ministry of Transportation Niger-State; and the Chairperson of Nigeria Transportation Commissioners Forum.
The Nigeria Transportation Commissioners Forum came into limelight during the 2021 Federal Ministry of Transportation and Nigeria Transportation Commissioners Forum Retreat, can you tell us a bit more about the Forum.
Over the years, there have been huge gaps between where the sector needs to be and where it actually is due to lack of collaboration and synergy between the Federal and State Ministries of Transportation. To possibly bridge these gaps between the Federal and State levels, the Federal Ministry of Transportation saw the need to set up a Forum that will cover the existing gaps. That was achieved in 2017 at the Annual Stakeholders Workshop on Road Transport and Mass Transit Operations in Nigeria, held on the 14th of December 2017 at the Le’ Meridian Ibom Hotel, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State where, under the watchful eyes of Honorable Minister of Transportation; Rt Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Ameachi, ably represented by the Director, Road Transportation and Mass Transit Administration Mrs. Anthonia Ekpa (PhD), Nigeria Transportation Commissioners’ Forum (NTCF) was inaugurated. This is the first of its kind, to actively and effectively promote inclusiveness, good governance, sustainable growth and development in the Transport Sector.
What is the Mission and Vision of the forum?
VISION: A strong non-partisan, non-profit Institution that brings together all 36 appointed Commissioners and State Special Assistant/Advisers on Transportation to actively and effectively promote inclusiveness, good Governance, sustainable growth and development in the Transportation Sector.
MISSION: To provide a veritable platform for deliberations, Communication and Collaboration amongst Honorable Commissioners and Special Assistant/Advisers on Transport matters, Promote Good Governance, Peer to Peer Review Mechanism and enhance Cooperation at State level and other relevant arms of Government, Public Sector and the society.
What has the forum achieved so far in the few years of existence in line with her Mission and Vision?
The forum in line with her vision and mission has been able to galvanize all Thirty-Six (36) Honorable Commissioners of Transport including FCT and Special Advisers in the pursuit of an all-inclusive policy drive, the Forum has opened up the space in promoting private sector participation, collaborations in developing the sector with technologies in line with best practices to also promote inter-state peer to peer reviews and synergy the forum created the zonal caucus system to create smaller unites of interactions amongst colleagues, to share ideas, projects and policies that can be adopted by neighboring States for implementation.
We understand the transportation sector is littered with numerous and legendary issues: What inspired you to take up the daunting task of seating at the helm of a forum that seeks to overcome these challenges?
Seriously I did not campaign for this position. I acted for a couple of months and election was conducted that confirmed me to seat at the helm of the forum such as this. On the challenges; what can I do on my own? Honestly it is a collective effort of all Transport Commissioners fall out of the last annual retreat. We have set up five technical committees to look at some of these challenges, engage relevant governmental and non-governmental bodies within the sector for directions and possible solutions; but of course, we are not left on our own to tackle these long-lasting transportation challenges especially that of the road transport. Our Mother Ministry (Ministry of Transportation), through the Honorable Minister of State Transportation Distinguished Senator Gbemisola Saraki has been of immense support, providing guidance and directions where and when needed.
Over the years, there have been apparent lack of synergy amongst leading Traffic Management Agencies: what is the forum doing to address this situation?
Yes, it is a concern we have known and met, but the forum is working assiduously to bring all parties to a table of discussion for a better and improved safety drive within the Country. Nigeria, as a treaty to the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety, is strategic in the pursuit of road safety and sanity amongst African countries as such, we need to put our house in order to pursue our goal. Synergy amongst the relevant traffic management and safety agencies is paramount and remains one of this administration’s focus. We are under no illusion in believing that this is achievable.
The burden on road transport has contributed to massive decline and destruction of road and road infrastructures: what step (s) has the forum taken to address these challenges?
The responsibility of building and maintenance is not that of the Ministries of Transportation both at the Federal and State levels, but as part of our holistic approach to find possible solutions, the Federal Ministry of Transportation is interfacing with the Ministry of Works and Housing. On the part of state ministries, individual states are encouraged to embrace best practices and policies that will to a large extent reduce the pressure on our roads; which is the introduction of weigh bridges. The rail way system is also a great way to reduce this destruction and pressure on our roads. With the recent commissioning of Kaduna – Kano Standard gauge rail by His Excellency Muhammadu Buhari in Kano State, transports and traders can take advantage of the rail transportation for the movement and distribution of products. The Federal Ministry of Transport is also looking at inviting all stakeholders to a round table discussion especially as it concerns the menace of heavy goods and products
The rate of accidents involving articulated vehicles on our roads seems to be on the increase yearly; what strategic plans have been put in place to curb the situation?
The issue is really very disturbing and our approach is multi-sectoral. It has to begin with the standard of vehicles being brought to the country and the registration processes. Many trucks are wrongly licensed beyond its original tonnage thereby leading to brake failure as we can see everywhere. Therefore, to arrest this situation we should embark on vehicle audit of all trucks and license them accordingly. The forensic technology for this is available in the country. All relevant State authorities will be galvanized into action. The Forum has taken a position on this and will see it through. Equally the culture of maintenance needs to be cultivated through periodic vehicle inspection to ascertain road worthiness of these trucks and other vehicles plying our roads.
The lack of National Transport Policy has contributed its quota to many of the numerous and legendry challenges in the sector, what has the forum done, is doing or will do to arrest this situation?
As a federation, transportation is in the concurrent list. We have the National Council on Transportation where issues of National outlook are brought to the fore. This has culminated into numerous policies. The challenge in the past has been the will to follow through: hence the formation of the Forum to ensure resolutions adopted at every National platform are implemented to the later. Therefore, to say we don’t have National Transport Policy is not correct. The law recognizes which tier of government is responsible for Aviation, Maritime, Pipeline, Roads, and Rail transportation systems. As a country we have set global standards across board but ensuring these standards are met in my opinion is the main issue that we have to address.
There are complaints of numerous taxes in the road transport sector resulting in fare hike and undue burden on the citizenry. How is the Forum changing the narratives?
Sincerely the road transport sub-sector needs to be more organized. It is operated currently in a manner that everybody is an authority. We need to look at this. The Forum intends to take this up at the highest level. For example, Lagos State BRT and Abuja Urban Mass Transit are replica of the formalization we are talking about. It has to cut across the federation and when this happens fares will be within controllable limits.
The transport sector is known to contribute massively to ozone layer depletion due to release of greenhouse gases. How is the Forum relating with Ministry of Environment to mitigate this trend?
We recognize the standards set by National Environmental Standard Regulation and Enforcement Agency (NESREA) and many states of the federation are domesticating these standards. So, if it is about policy or standard, we have it as a country. The position of the law is clear which says every private vehicle must be inspected once in a year and commercial vehicle twice in a year. It is expected that emission testing will be carried out to mitigate this menace. Today in the Country we have over 100 computerized vehicle inspection centers where this is being carried out. The level of compliance is not optimum yet but it can and will be worked on.
Another factor is the emission standard which is based on Euro 2. We import into the country cheap fuel with its attendant consequences on gaseous emission. This is obviously beyond the Forum. In the 70s we had different types of fuel, lead and unleaded fuel. But today no distinction it is just fuel resulting in the sad consequences of dangerous emissions and ozone depletion
What effort is the forum making to synergize and collaborate with all relevant stakeholders in the transportation sector?
At our retreat this year of which the theme was centered on synergy and collaborations, I think it goes beyond the sector. Even in our security architecture it was said that synergy was an issue. As a Forum we recognize that no one is an island and we have commenced engagement with all relevant stakeholders. We intend to sustain and change the story line for good.
With the existence of Nigerian Transportation Commissioners Forum; what positive difference should we be looking forward to in the transportation sector?
The Forum exists for safety and security of the citizenry. We want to work at reducing road traffic crashes on the road. We are synergizing for better security on the road. We want to add value in the eco system in areas of ease of doing business and making the sector more attractive for investment as well as create jobs for the economy. Let things be done well and appropriately. For example, we want to implement the resolution of National Council on Transportation in Sokoto in 2018 where structured testing ,both theory and practical, are administered before issuance of Driver’s license.
As a country we did not optimize enough the United Nation Decade of Action on road safety with the 5pillars. The Forum will make impact in this second decade
What was the general resolution of the Forum at the 2021 Federal Ministry of Transportation and Nigeria transportation Commissioner’s forum Retreat?
Like I mentioned on the theme of our retreat this year which was mainly synergy and collaboration, we are following suit and we have met our principals; Nigeria Governors Forum. We presented our resolutions of which the starting point is to create a robust data base of vehicles in the country in such a fashion that we will enable the set-up of Local Governments Motor Registry, State Motor Registry and National Motor Registry. The benefits of this as it relates to safety, security and planning cannot be over emphasized.
