Rotimi Amaechi, Minister of Transport

 

The Federal Ministry of Transport and the Nigerian Shippers Council are putting finishing touches to plans to hold a two-day national summit on the establishment, management and operations of Truck Transit Parks TTPs in Nigeria.

The TTP project is a brainchild of the Nigerian Shippers Council as part of measures to enhance hitch-free movement of imports and export in and out of the seaports, check the perennial gridlocks on port access roads with a view to facilitating legitimate trade, among other objectives.

The summit slated for July 11th and 12th, 2017 at the Sheraton Hotels and Towers, Abuja is being organisaed in conjunction with Kings Communication, is designed to facilitate investments in the Truck Transit Parks and enhance trade and investments in line with Federal Government’s policy of reviving the nation’s economy.

Deputy Director of the council, Mr. Ignatius Nweke, who made the disclosure in Lagos, said that the summit aims at bringing the relevant stakeholders together to rub minds on the proposed transit parks. According to him, critical stakeholders in the project comprising state governors and transport commissioners, haulage truck owners, transport unions, construction companies, relevant National Assembly committees, prospective investors and leaders of thought in the transport sector have all indicated their intention to attend.

The Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi would the chief host and is expected to deliver the welcome address while the Minister of Power Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola will deliver the keynote address at the summit with  the theme: Truck Transit Parks: Providing Critical Infrastructure for Trade and Transit in Nigeria.

Stakeholders in transport and logistics sector expected to explore the platform provided by the summit to optimise the potential and investment opportunities in TTPs; to harmonise and standardise truck parking facilities on Nigerian roads; adopt financial models for developing and sustaining truck transit parks; to establish the role of stakeholders in managing TTPs, among others.

Also expected to deliver papers at the event are Minister of State for Budget and Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmad, who will deliver a paper entitled: ‘Overall Analysis of Infrastructural Deficit in the Transport Industry in Nigeria: The Need for Strategic Funding”; the Director General, Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission ICRC, Dr. Aminu Diko, ‘PPP Models and the Way Forward for TTP Projects in Nigeria”.

Others are the Co-ordinator, Transport and Logistics Group, Nigeria Economic Summit Group, NESG, Dr. Ikenna Nwosu, “ Implementation Strategies and Investment Opportunities in Truck Transit Park Infrastructure in Nigeria”; the Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps FRSC, Dr. Boboye Oyeyemi, ‘Truck Transit Park: A panacea Towards Saner, Safer Roads’;  the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer/CEO, Infrastructure Bank, Mr. Adekunle Oyinloye, ‘Proffering Feasible Financing Options for the Truck Transit Park Infrastructure Development’.

Also to deliver a paper at the two-day event are the Executive Secretary of Abidjan-Lagos Corridor Management Organisation ALCO, Mr. Idrissa Kone, ‘The Imperatives of TTPs in Reduction of Truck Driving Related Hazards: HIV/AIDs’ the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer/CEO of Federal Road Maintenance Agency FERMA, Engr. Peter Obu, ‘Impact of Unplanned Truck Parking on Designated Roads Functionality and Serviceability’, among several others.

Executive Secretary/CEO of the Nigerian Shippers Council, Hassan Bello, the initiator of the project, had said in a recent interview that the TTPs would in addition to checking the gridlock on the port access roads, address the issue of congestion at the seaports by making the Inland Container Depots ICDs more efficient.