NIGERIA POLICY GROUP - USA
SUBJECT:
TRANSPORTATION AND COMMUNICATION POLICY
TRANSPORTATION
Objectives: To ensure an effective transportation system, which is
vital to national development. It shall pay special attention to the development and/or improvement
of interstate route network linking all states and state capitals and other modes of transportation needed to move goods and
people.
Strategy: The above stated objectives shall
be pursued through:
[A] ROAD TRANSPORTATION
A good road network is basic to the economic transformation of Nigeria. The
government shall, therefore:
(i) Develop a two tier system of National road network:
(a) An interstate primary system linking all states and states
capitals.
(b) An interstate secondary system linking all municipalities
in each state.
(ii) Develop and improve all major interstate
and local roads. Providing the best
possible highway service demands careful
long and short term planning, design,
construction, and maintenance.
(iii) Provide adequate funding to bodies engaged in the construction of feeder roads. Before a road is built the State Department
of Transportation must be sure enough money is available to cover planning, design, and construction costs.
(iv) Strengthen the Mass-Transit Program.
(v) Reduce tariffs on the importation of commercial vehicles
and necessary spare parts.
(vi) Review duties on parts needed by local motor assembly plants so as to bring down the price of locally assembled vehicles.
(vii) Sustain current efforts at
manufacturing indigenous vehicles.
(viii) Promote research on and development
of road construction materials by
consultants and Universities in the
nation.
The
Federal Department of Transportation/governments shall seriously pursue strategies aimed at reviving and revitalizing the
railway system in Nigeria.
These will include:
(i) Modernization of the system through the replacement of
the narrow gauges and realignment of existing rail lines in the country.
(ii) Provision of funds to purchase spare parts, new coaches,
engines, and refurbish old ones.
(iii) Privatization of the Nigerian Railways to make it self-supporting and economically viable.
(iv) Construction of rail lines to parts of the country hitherto unconnected.
[B] AIR TRANSPORTATION
To attain the goal of a dynamic air transport
system in the nation, the government shall:
(i) Resuscitate the Nigerian Airways by providing it with
funds to replenish its depleted fleet.
(ii) Make fund available to the Airways to purchase spare parts
to maintain its plane.
(iii) Provide the Nigerian Airport Authority with sufficient funds to enable it acquire and maintain equipment vital for
a viable and safe aviation system.
(iv) Encourage Nigerian investors to
participate in the internal aviation industry.
(v) Encourage the private sector to set up supportive aviation manufacturing outfits.
(vi) Review rules and regulations
(specifications) for the operation of such private ventures.
(vii) Pursue fully the privatization of the operation of the Nigerian Airways.
[C] WATER TRANSPORTATION
To fully utilize the nation’s
potentials for water transportation which have for decades been under-utilized, the government shall ensure the followings:
(i) Make the major waterways navigable through dredging their
beds.
(ii) Encourage private sector participation in water transportation.
(iii) Encourage the private sector to manufacture ferries, motor boats, pontoons, and other water motor vehicles.
(iv) Establish in conjunction with private entrepreneurs mass-water transport system especially in the urban coastal towns
to alleviate transport problems of commuters.
(v) Revitalizing the Nigerian National Shipping Line (NNSL)
through the purchase of more vessels and necessary spare parts.
COMMUNICATIONS
Objectives: The government’s major objective is the establishment
of an efficient communication system considered vital to the rapid modernization of the Nigerian society toward the 21st century.
Strategy: In the pursuit of this objective,
the government shall:
(a) Carry out a major re-organization of the country’s
postal system to enhance its effectiveness, and ensure speedy mail delivery system.
(b) Vigorously pursue the present policy of
privatizing the Nigerian Postal Service
(NIPOST).
(c) Put into operation offices already built
throughout the Federation.
(d) Provide funds and guaranteed loans to allow
NITEL to modernize its equipment. Total
privatization of the NITEL.
