Saidu Alkali, the Nigerian Minister of Transportation, said the government will adopt a multifaceted approach to accelerate the adoption of sustainable and environmentally friendly transportation solutions in the country.
He stated this while delivering a speech at the opening of the Executive session of the 18th National Council on Transportation Conference in Abeokuta, on Friday.
According to Alkali, the conference would help to deliberate on important issues on transportation to align the sector with the “Renewed Hope Agenda” of President Bola Tinubu.
He added that there is a need to modernise the country’s transportation systems by pioneering the frontier of green manufacturing and industrialisation with a focus on natural gas as a transition fuel alongside other renewable energy sources.
The minister said that prioritising innovative technologies in the transportation sector would help to mitigate energy challenges while promoting sustainability and economic growth was also important.
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“Another transportation solution is in engendering innovative and transformative initiatives for the development of new renewable energy sources and Smart city concepts.
“Consciously prioritising budgetary appropriation to tackle energy challenges and creating incentives to attract private sector investment in de-carbonisation and other alternative technology,” he said.
Alkali further said that in recent years, the Federal Government had shown commitment to implement policies and strategies to develop a safe, secure, affordable, and sustainable transportation system.
He said that the Federal Ministry of Transportation had carried out notable technological advancement that would foster an environmentally and economically friendly transportation solution in the country.
Alkali noted that the ministry had developed a National Land Transport Policy which dealt extensively on components such as Alternative Energy Climate change
“This policy draft has reached 80 per cent completion and we are looking forward to inviting you all to brainstorm and finalise the draft policy for onward transmission to the Federal Executive Council for approval,” he said.
The minister, however, commended the efforts of the state government in promoting Multimodal Transport and championing the course of e-mobility and Gas Mobility Projects.
He reiterated that an efficient transportation system remained a win to every endeavour of human life, saying that the onus was on everyone to innovate and accept new technologies in the transportation ecosystem.
In his remarks, Gov. Dapo Abiodun, said that the theme of the conference indicated the sector was fully cognisant of current challenges, realities, and limitations and ready to proffer sustainable solutions.
Abiodun, represented by his Deputy, Mrs Noimot Salako-Oyedele, said that transportation sector played a pivotal role in the sustainable growth and development of the nation and the state’s economy.
