The Chartered Institute of Transport Administration of Nigeria (CIoTA) has urged the Federal Government (FG) to integrate national defence, military
The Chartered Institute of Transport Administration of Nigeria (CIoTA) has urged the Federal Government (FG) to integrate national defence, military mobility and emergency logistics requirements into the planning, design, construction, maintenance and regulation of Nigeria’s land transport system.
The Institute argued that such integration will help both the transport and defence authorities to jointly identify strategic mobility corridors, critical infrastructure, alternative routes, intermodal facilities and civilian transport capabilities in accordance with national law and public safety requirements.
CIoTA in a communiqué jointly signed by Charles Asinimi, chairman, Rapporteur, Obioma Reuben Nwaogbe, secretary of the Rapporteur, and two other members, called for a policy shift towards increased investment in Non-Motorised Transport (NMT), including walking and cycling infrastructure.
The communiqué was issued at the end of its 8th national transport conference with the theme: ‘Integrated Multimodal Transport Systems for Sustainable Development of Nigeria.’
The communiqué further called on the Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology and relevant professional bodies to develop joint civil-military training programmes in movement control, route planning and multimodal logistics to strengthen national security, transport resilience and defence logistics capability.
It also urged the Federal Ministry of Transportation, Aviation, and Marine and Blue Economy, alongside other relevant ministries and agencies, to strengthen coordination in transport policy formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation for effective multimodal integration.
On the back of this, the Institute called on all tiers of government to recognise public transport as an essential social service and make adequate budgetary provisions for its development, operations and maintenance to ensure accessible, affordable and reliable mobility for Nigerians.
The Institute also advocated for the provision of dedicated lanes through government–private sector partnerships (PPP) initiative, and sustained public awareness campaigns to promote road safety, active mobility and sustainable transport practices.
Similarly, CIoTA advocated for the adoption of modern technologies to improve traffic management, reduce congestion, enhance road safety and promote the efficient movement of passengers and goods tracking and monitoring of vehicles and vessels to strengthen security, accountability and regulatory compliance across all modes.
It also called for a formal institutional framework for collaboration between the Federal Ministry of Transportation and the ministry of Works, whereby the ministry of transportation leads transport needs assessment, network planning and functional design requirements, while the ministry of works undertakes road construction in accordance with approved designs and relevant engineering standards.
The Institute through its communiqué resolved that CIoTA shall strengthen professional ethics, competence and accountability among its members through continuous professional development, adherence to established codes of conduct and the enforcement of appropriate disciplinary measures for professional misconduct in accordance with its governing rules.
Seyi John Salau is a BusinessDay Correspondent with interest in development journalism, which tells stories that connect the people, brands, and the government. SeyiJohn is also a media professional with BSc, Mass Communition (ACU); Masters of School Media (MSM, Ibadan) & MSc, Mass Communication (Caleb).