FMoT holds 3rd Annual Transport Stakeholders Conference in Abuja.
Oru Leonard
The 3rd Annual Transport Stakeholders’ Conference organised by the Federal Ministry of Transportation (FMoT), is billed to hold at Abuja from 25 – 27 July, 2019.
Sources from the FMoT told News Dot Africa correspondent that the conference is aimed at bringing stakeholders together to brainstorm and proffer solutions to the inadequacies and challenges that are confronting the Road Transport and Mass Transit Operations in Nigeria.
The coordinator of the conference and Director of the Department of Road Transport and Mass Transit Administration, Dr. Anthonia Ekpa said that the conference which is themed “Road Mobility Safety in Nigeria”, will be tailored to sustain the momentum and achievements that has already been made in the Road Transport Sector.
This 3rd Annual Stakeholders’ Conference, which is to be held at the Central Bank of Nigeria International Training Institute Maitama, Abuja, is the belated 2018 edition which could not hold as planned.
It would be recalled that what is today known as the “Annual Stakeholders’ Conference” was hitherto known as the “Stakeholders’ Workshop”. The Stakeholders’ Workshop was conceived in 2015 following the creation of the Department of Road Transport and Mass Transit Administration in the Ministry by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation in 2014.
The maiden edition of the “Stakeholders’ Workshop” as it was then called, was approved by the immediate past Honourable Minister, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi and was successfully organised by the Ministry’s Department of Road Transport and Mass Transit Administration with the support from major Stakeholders including Nigeria Institute of Transport Technology (NITT), National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), Independent Petroleum Marketers Association/National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Employees (PTDA/NUPENG), Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) and National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and the private sector. This was in July, 2016 with the theme “Implementing Change in Road Transport and Mass Transit Operation and Management”, and was chaired by the Emir of Kano HRH Muhammad Sanusi II, CON. Relevant Stakeholders in the Transport Sector, Commissioners of Transportation, State Permanent Secretaries and other top policy makers were in attendance.
At the Workshop, a decision was taken that states of the Federation will take turns in hosting the Conference and Akwa Ibom State indicated interest in hosting the 2nd Annual Conference.
In December, 2017, the 2nd Annual Stakeholders’ Conference held in Akwa Ibom State, at Le Meridian Ibom Hotel & Golf Resort with the theme “The Role of Road Transportation in the Achievement of sustainable Development Goals and Nigeria’s Economic Recovery and Growth Plan” had some far reaching decisions taken. These included: Establishment of Commissioners’ Forum to foster good relationship between the States and Federal; change in the nomenclature of the meeting from “Annual Stakeholders’ Workshop” to “Annual Stakeholders’ Conference” among others. It was also agreed at the Conference that Ondo State Government will host the 3rd Annual Stakeholders’ Conference in 2018 but due to electioneering activities, the state could not host the conference as agreed.
