NCT; FG stakeholder recommends bicycle riding as means of transport

..Says.FCT to be Used for pilot stage

Years after the dream of former Minister of Transportation, the late Chief Ojo Maduekwe, mooted the idea of bicycle riding as a major means of transportation in Nigeria, the National Council on Transportation (NCT) policy in a resolution yesterday in Sokoto state, recommended bicycle riding for solving the mystery of traffic jam in the country.

The Minister of Transportation Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi, disclosed this to the media shortly after presiding over the resolution committee of the 15th National council on transportation.

According to Amaechi, the stakeholders, has took the resolution, based on research and the experiences of the effectiveness.

“The major resolution is that we are recommending bicycle as possible means of transportation, and do not forget
that the NCT is a policy making body. And we approved that we should do a pilot project on bicycle riding in the FCT because it is the only state with facilities for cycling.

“Other states would follow suit and construct such facilities before it can be introduced there. On the reasons for bicycle in the 21st century, he said that many countries like China and Japan has since before now introduced it as a National means of transportation “one it the means of saving the people from accident and two it is another means of reducing pressure on our roads.

“The facilities are the ones that will protect them on the road because some motorists are not patient with them. If you check all the roads in Abuja there are lanes for bicycles. The introduction mans that anybody who wants to go on bicycle can do so.

“You may ask why bicycle but don’t forget that it is there in China, in UK, Spain and many other countries. The benefit is that it is an investment first and secondly it will help in the exercise and thirdly it will reduce the number of passengers jostling for motor vehicles.

It will be within the city not outside the city.”