President Muhammadu Buhari has been urged to sign the National Road Fund and Federal Road Bills.
The immediate past President, Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Engr. Babagana Mohammed, who made the call, said efforts were made in the past by the Executive to reform the road sector.
In a letter, Mohammed urged Buhari to constitute the Presidential Taskforce on the Transport Sector Reform (PTTSR) recommended in the technical reports in favour of the bills.
“The approval will expedite and professionally guide the implementation of the Transport Sector Reform Bills passed by the Ninth National Assembly.”
“For more than four decades, Nigeria has failed to carry out a holistic reform of the transport sector, in spite of numerous attempts by various governments and stakeholders to champion policies, bills and programmes aimed at the remarking of the sector. The damages this unfortunate scenario have inflicted on the socio-economic growth and development of Nigeria have been serious and colossal.
“It is, therefore, instructive to note that the Ninth National Assembly recognised the need to find solutions to the mitigating factors that had stalled the reform of the transport sector and, therefore, embarked upon a robust programme to ensure the passage of all the relevant Bills alluded to in paragraph one of the letter. Unfortunately, the Bills were not assented to by Mr President during the Eighth National Assembly.‘’
It is, therefore, reassuring that the Ninth National Assembly has successfully passed all the Bills.
“These Bills were subsequently reviewed and passed by the Ninth National Assembly. If strategically implemented, these Bills will catalyse the diversification and expansion of the economy.
“NSE and other stakeholders served on two Technical committees, among others, to ensure that the Road Sector Reform Bills: National Road Fund and Federal Road Bills were professionally drafted to stimulate a holistic transportation system which would have guaranteed the sustainable wellness and economic competitiveness of Nigeria in the sector. The technical committee also re-created the road transport mode which would be a formidable force for re-inventing the economy,” Mohammed stated.