Federal Government Moves to Protect Transport Infrastructure, Boost Intermodal System

The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to securing critical transport infrastructure and reinforcing Nigeria's intermodal transport system, with the aim of ensuring the movement of people and goods becomes safer, more seamless and more efficient.

This was disclosed by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation, Olufunso Adebiyi, at the recently concluded 19th National Council on Transportation (NCT) in Abuja.

According to report, the council's meeting was held under the theme "Developing an Effective Transportation System for Nigeria: The Role of Intermodal Transportation."

Adebiyi announced that the Council would push for tougher penalties against those who vandalise transport assets, calling the act a serious threat to public safety and service delivery. He pointed out that such vandalism has claimed lives, destroyed public property, and left many Nigerians with life-changing injuries, adding that securing infrastructure is essential to building a fully functional intermodal transport network.

He further called for stronger Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs), more reliable funding structures, and innovative asset-recycling approaches to speed up the construction, rehabilitation and long-term management of transport infrastructure nationwide.

Speaking at the same event, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Land Transportation, Sen. Adamu Aliero, echoed the call to strengthen the country's intermodal transport system. He maintained that federal infrastructure projects should remain under the supervision of their relevant sector ministries to guarantee proper oversight and accountability.

Aliero praised Adebiyi for tackling what he termed "an administrative anomaly" — the awarding of a railway construction contract to the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI) without technical involvement from the Ministry of Transportation.

"While MoFI has an important role as a financing and investment vehicle, the technical aspects of railway infrastructure development including construction, supervision and sectoral coordination fall within the statutory mandate of the Federal Ministry of Transportation," he said.

He also praised President Bola Tinubu for stepping in, through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), to restore the proper institutional structure for handling the project.

"The National Assembly will not support arrangements that sideline core statutory ministries in favour of entities without the requisite technical mandate and operational capacity to supervise critical national infrastructure projects," Aliero said.

He assured that the National Assembly would continue backing the Ministry of Transportation's efforts to advance rail development in the country.