Former Lagos State gubernatorial candidate and deputy National President of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders, NAGAFF, Dr. Oluwasegun Alade Musa, has condemned investment in passenger rail transport system in Nigeria, describing it as a total waste of money.
According to Global Transport Policy report, Musa made the revelation while speaking at a Roundtable Discussion organized by the Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria, MARAN, in Lagos. According to him, the problem came with government’s inability to prioritize cargo investment in the rail sector.
He postulates that the Nigerian rail transport system would have impacted the economy if the focus was on cargo movement rather than passenger services.
Musa opined that there is need for holistic approach to transportation in order to participate in global trade agreements which involves embracing digitalization and investing in capacity building.
“Had we prioritized cargo transport, the income generated would have repaid the investment by now. Instead, the sector remains financially unsustainable, as passenger services cannot generate the required revenue. Poor feasibility studies and a lack of long-term planning continue to plague the rail sector.
“Countries that do not invest heavily on transportation end up with a slow economy. This is the industry that determines how far a nation can go in terms of prosperity.
” If we are to move this country to a prosperous pedestal, we must equip the transport sector effectively to drive the economy. If we do not have an effective transport system, the economy will not grow.
“If we had deployed the rail system to move cargo, we would have finished paying the loan by now. Passenger movement does not generate huge income; only cargo can generate income.” Source; Global Transport Policy.
