COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE END OF THE 9TH NATIONAL COUNCIL ON TRANSPORT (NCT) HELD AT CHANNEL VIEW HOTELS, CALABAR, CROSS RIVER STATE, FROM MONDAY, 5TH – THURSDAY, 8TH OCTOBER, 2009

The 9th National Council on Transport was held at the Channel View Hotels, Calabar Cross River State from Monday, 5th –Thursday 8th October, 2009 with the Theme: Partnership for Transporting the Nigeria Vision 20:2020.  The meeting was declared open by his Excellency, Senator Liyel Imoke, Executive Governor of Cross River State and was chaired by the Honourable Minister of Transport, Hon. Ibrahim Isa Bio.

2.    The meeting was attended by delegates from (20) twenty states, the Federal Capital Territory, relevant        Federal Ministries and Agencies, as well as some professional bodies.

3.    The Council deliberated on nineteen (19) Memoranda dealing with a variety of issues ranging from        Policy, Transport Infrastructure, Rehabilitation and modernization of the Railways, Development of        Inland Waterways, River Ports including the dredging of the Lower River Niger, Transport Sector Reform        Bills, Transport Safety and Environmental Considerations, and Human Resource Development.        Consequently, the discussions of the Council were categorized into three key areas namely: Land        Transportation and General Issues; Water Transportation and Inter-Modal Issues; and Menace of Water        Hyacinth and Climate issues.

4.     After exhaustive deliberations, Council noted:

(i)      the absence of a comprehensive National Transport Policy;
(ii)      inadequate development and maintenance of transport infrastructure and facilities;
(iii)     the absence of Scheme of Service for transport professionals in the Federal and State Public Services;
(iv)     non-uniformity in the regulation of the different transport modes at Federal and State levels;
(v)      the multiplicity of taxes, levies and charges, particularly in road transport operations;
(vi)     the absence of safety audit in the National Transport System;
(vii)    the limited facilities for training of transport professionals at all levels in the country;
(viii)   the dredging of Lower Niger River that was flagged off by Mr. President on the 10th of September,           2009;
(ix)     the continued menace of water hyacinth and aquatic weeds in Nigeria Waterways;
(x)     the rising wave of armed robbery and piracy on all transport routes in Nigeria;
(xi)    neglect of maintenance of existing transport infrastructure, particularly roads, throughout the country          and the negative impacts of this on travel times, safety, security and the growth of the economy;
(xii)    the absence of appropriate legislation on the status and operation of Inland Container Depots (ICD) in          Nigeria; and
(xiii)   the commitment of Federal Government (through NIWA) to establish River Ports at strategic locations          across the country.

1. Federal Government efforts towards the rehabilitation and modernization of the Railways  which is a cheaper and safer means of transportation; and
2. the on-going reforms in the Transport Sector and the draft Transport Reform Bills currently under consideration at the National Assembly.

5.   Thereafter, Council resolved as follows:

      i. that the Federal Ministry of Transport should conclude action on the review of the draft National       Transport Policy and vigorously pursue its approval by the National Assembly in view of its critical       importance for the development and sustenance of a viable, efficient transport system;

     ii. that the State Governments should accord the Transport Sector, the priority attention it deserves by      creating autonomous Transport Ministries in the States to coordinate the development of Transport      Infrastructure throughout the Country and ensure that all transport related activities are centralized      under the Ministry of Transport to enhance public safety;

    iii. that the three (3) tiers of Government should professionalize the Transport Sector through appropriate     legislations including recognizing the Transport  Professional Bodies.  As a follow up to this, an appropriate     scheme of service should be created in the Public Service at the Federal, States and Local Government     levels;

    iv. that States should explore the option of using the PPP strategy, with the aid of the Infrastructure     Concession and Regulatory Commission (ICRC) to appropriately package the development of     Transport infrastructure in their respective States and Local Governments;

    v. that the Federal Government should sustain the maintenance dredging of the Lower River Niger, in     order to ensure all year round navigability after the completion of the capital dredging;

    vi. that the Federal Government should extend the dredging project to the River Benue and other rivers in     the Country in line with the policy of developing water transportation to meet the aspirations of the     people;

    vii. that the Federal Government should set up a Monitoring Committee on the Impact of Dredging     Activities of the Lower River Niger in order to prevent un-anticipated developments or negative     consequences of the on-going dredging of Lower River Niger;

    viii. that States and Local Governments should take advantage of the dredging of the Lower River Niger     and establish River Ports and Jetties for the improvement of water transportation in their domain;

    ix. that States should partner with the Federal Government to fast-track the implementation of the     approved River Port Projects and Jetties, at strategic locations across the Country;

    x. that in view of the danger posed to transportation by water hyacinth and other aquatic weeds, a     Technical Committee comprising Federal Ministries of Transport, Environment, Science and Technology     as well as the Ecological Fund Office, should be set up as a matter of utmost urgency to convene a     stakeholders conference to deliberate on strategies for finding a lasting solution to the menace;

    xi. that the Federal Government should consider downward review of Port Charges and harmonization     of security procedures in the Ports, in order to improve patronage of Nigerian Ports;

    xii. that transport operators should make use of regularly updated weather and other relevant information     from the Statutory Agencies to enhance safety and security of transport operations;

    xiii. that the States, Local Government Areas and all Stakeholders should embrace the on-going reforms     in the transport sector ;

    xiv. that the Council should collaborate with the National Assembly to ensure the timely passage of the     Transport Reform Bills currently under consideration; and

    xv. that Government at all levels should adopt energy effective measures to reduce the effect of Green     House Gas Emission in Nigeria in order to combat the effect of global warming;

6.  The Council expressed its appreciation and gratitude to the Government and people of Cross River      State for their hospitality and support for the success of the Council Meeting.

7.  The next National Council on Transport Meeting will take place at Niger State in October 2010.