The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila, has pledged the support of the legislature to fully develop the road transport sector in the country.
He said the House would do all within its powers to support the expansion of infrastructure and the transformation of road transport unions to become truly professional bodies in line with global practices.
Speaker Gbajabiamila spoke on Thursday when the leadership of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria paid him a courtesy call at the National Assembly in Abuja.
The speaker acknowledged the critical role of transportation in the development of the economy of any nation. He said one urgent area to address would be the rapid expansion of road infrastructure.
“There is a lot we can do together.
Road transport plays a very critical role in the development of Nigeria.
“It is one of the most significant sectors in any country.
“We want to support you and engage you as a House as much as we can. We are here to help and assist you”, the speaker stated.
Gbajabiamila asked RTEAN to professionalise its operations and work toward sanitising the nation’s motor parks.
“In other places across the world; in Germany, the US, the UK and several others, transport associations are well-respected as professional groups. That is what we want in Nigeria.
“I have seen your recommendations. You want a transport development bank. That is fantastic. We are here as a House to give you all the necessary support to achieve your set targets.
Earlier, the Executive President of RTEAN, Alhaji Mohammed Musa, who led the leadership on the visit, praised Gbajabiamila’s leadership qualities, urging him to sustain his commitment to nation-building through legislative interventions.
Musa told the speaker they were at the National Assembly to seek his support for proposed reforms RTEAN would want to be carried out in the road transport sector.
He listed them as (a) establishment of Transport Development Bank (b); compulsory introduction of Traveller’s Insurance Policy at all motor parks; and (c) Waiver for Importation of Commercial vehicles not assembled in Nigeria.
According to Musa, these proposals, when implemented, will help greatly to strengthen the road transport sector in the country, which he described as the “second highest employer of labour after government.”