BEVERLY HILLS, May 22, (THEWILL) – The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) Bill may soon gain acceptance following a recent call by the Federal Road Safety Corps Marshal, Dr. Boboye Oyeyemi, urging the Federal Government to fully adopt an inter-modal transport system in the country.
Oyeyemi who made the call while speaking on the topic: “Improving Nigeria Transportation Systems: The Way Forward,” at the Eighth Nigeria Annual Transport Lecture held Friday at Sheraton Hotel, said there is urgent need for improvement of the inter-modal transport system.
With the call, there are indications that the NSIB Bill, which is currently at the National Assembly, will be fast-tracked to enable a robust transport system as dictated in the National Transport Policy (NTP), which is also awaiting implementation.
A few weeks ago, Commissioner/Chief Executive Officer of Accident Investigation Bureau, Nigeria (AIB-N), Akin Olateru, had clamoured for the passing of the NSIB Bill, to enable his agency expand its scope of accident investigations.
According to Olateru, there had been lots of consultations taking place since the public hearing in the National Assembly on the Bill, and that happened till the end of his first term.
“From next week, I will re-engage the consultation with major stakeholders and the consultation side is about 96 percent done and it is just to finish up with it within the next two weeks and passed it to the National Assembly,” he said.
In the same vein, Oyeyemi advised that the only solution to the problems of Nigeria’s transportation challenges would be to adopt a multi-modal system, stressing that the pressure on roads is too high.
Boboye warned that the road system was not only dominant but its preference, totalling 95 percent of all modes, has serious road safety concerns in the form of accidents and infrastructural decay.
Noting that road crashes had increased, the Corps Marshal said, “The pressure is too much on the road. Fatality has been on the high. We used to have an average of 100 lives lost on the roads weekly. Speed is a major aspect we need to address.”
The FRSC boss maintained that utilising other modes of transport, including air, water, road, pipeline and rail as an alternative would decongest the traffic gridlocks in coastal cities in the country, with the potential to boost the economy from travel tourism perspective.
Proffering solutions for the inter-modal transport system to work, Boboye said, “Government should expand and upgrade existing air travel infrastructures so as to boost confidence in the industry with respect to air safety; encourage more investments to bring about healthy competition such that more people can opt for the mode as against the road especially for long distance travel. This will largely reduce ‘fatigue’ induced and tyre related crashes on the road.”
He also canvassed for the dredging of identified potential waterways in the country to improve safety and enhance navigation amongst others.
Commending the efforts of the present government, Boboye however counselled, “Government should continue to improve on the existing security framework in order to enhance investors and customers’ confidence in all modes of transportation in the country. The current state of transportation in the country is an improvement on what it used to be.”
About the Author
Anthony Awunor, is a business correspondent who holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Linguistics (UNILAG). He is also an alumnus of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria Kaduna State. He lives in Lagos.
