We’re investing in infrastructure for sustainable transport, logistics – FG

The Minister of Transportation, Mu’azu Sambo, says the Federal Government is making concerted efforts to establish critical transport infrastructure to ensure sustainable transport and logistics in the country.

Sambo said this while declaring open the 2022 conference of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) on Tuesday in Lagos, with the theme, ‘Sustainable Innovations in Global Logistics and Transport.’

Sambo, represented by Mr Ibrahim Biu, Federal Ministry of Transportation Deputy Director, Research and Statistic, added that ports reform programme was also aimed at decongesting seaports, by taking shipping and port services closer to importers and exporters.

According to Sambo, the recent Dala Inland Dry Port declaration as Port of Origin and Destination is a major milestone in that regard.

“In the same vein, measures are being put in place to ensure ease of doing business at the ports. There has been a massive shift for the connection of the rail, road and maritime subsector to reduce road traffic congestion and increase the competitive edge of the transport and logistics sector,” he said.

He noted that a lot needed to be done to develop the logistics and transport industry of the country, urging transport researchers and transport regulators to collaborate to mine innovative strategies that would aid in sustaining and developing the transportation sector.

“I am optimistic that CILT Nigeria will do well in passing its wealth of knowledge to effectively support the industry,” he said.

He said the theme of the conference reflected the current global trends in transportation.

He added that the world was going green, engendering innovations to reduce the heavy dependence on fossil fuels that caused greenhouse gas emissions, reduced freight logistics turnaround time and noise pollution.

“There have been numerous innovations geared towards converting freight vehicles to use sustainable fuels, employing advanced information and communication technologies for more efficient logistics,” he said.

According to him, new organisational concepts are being implemented in combination with innovative vehicles, combination of modes, such as rail, roads, and inland waterways to achieve optimum and sustainable use of resources.

Also, Mr Adebayo Sarumi, former Managing Director Nigerian Ports Authority, hoped the sessions would create avenues for robust brainstorming on strategies for achieving sustainable innovation in logistics and transport.

He added that it should also promote advanced analytical and managerial techniques towards embracing world best practices.

“Sustainable development is the achievement of continued economic development without harm to the environment and other natural resources.

“The goal of sustainable transportation, therefore, is to ensure that environmental, social and economic considerations are factored into decisions affecting transportation and logistics activities,” he said.

Sarumi said there must be timely investments in emerging technological innovations on transport equipment, methods, practices and deployment of relevant infrastructure in the transport system to make it competitive.

“Nigeria is currently faced with huge infrastructural gaps that have hindered its desire to exploit her rich natural and human resources.

“All the foregoing investments and deployment must combine to give the nation a high Logistics Performance Index (LPI).

“To achieve this, a comprehensive evaluation of the institutions and parties that drive and participate in the transportation value chain is required,” he said.

He added that policy formulation must also demonstrate industry knowledge and must be robust and consistent to enable long term planning.

President CILT Nigeria, Mrs Mfon Usoro, said the conference keyed into the global conversation about sustainability principles on how businesses, in particular, the logistics and transport sector were conducted.

She hoped that the conference would have an outcome of collaborative work in content development to position the country positively in the global logistics performance index. (NAN)