NSC’s truck transit parks initiative
Anyone who has witnessed the chaos on strategic roads across Nigeria, especially trailer/truck induced gridlocks, accidents, and deaths among others, will welcome any attempt at returning sanity to our highways.
This is reason the Truck Transit Parks (TTP) initiative by the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) should be commended and supported by all and sundry.
The initiative, which aims to address the infrastructure deficit in the country, particularly as it affects the transport sector, is to be executed under a Public Private Partnership (PPP).
Objectives of the TTP include among others enhancing growth in host states and regional integration between states arising from increased freight movements; employment and wealth creation in catchment areas and improved internally generated revenue for host state governments; reduction of fatigue induced accidents resulting in fatalities, loss and damage to haulage cargos and resultant effect on the economy; and improved transit trade with landlocked neighbouring countries.
The parks, at the first instance, are to be located in Lokoja (Kogi State); Obollo-Afor (Enugu); Jebba (Kwara); Ore (Ondo); Ogere (Ogun); Porto Novo Creek (Lagos); Onitsha (Anambra); and Mararaban (Nasarawa) among others. They are to be automated, and will provide parking space for all kinds of vehicles, and serve as a one-stop shops equipped with standard hotels, hostels, viewing centres, eatery, mechanical service workshop, shower, recreational facilities, fire service stations, filling stations, clinics, and a host of other amenities.
We commend the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers Council, Hassan Bello, and his management team for coming up with this laudable initiative which when fully on stream will in no small way checkmate the indiscriminate parking of trailers/trucks on major highways in the country with the attendant ills and call on stakeholders in the nation’s transport sector, including transport associations, financial institutions and the investing public to give the initiative maximum support.
The TPP, in our view, assures good returns for investors as revenue streams will come from short stay and overnight parking business, rent from outsourced facilities, transfer storage warehouse among other incidental incomes. Investors should therefore sieze this opportunity to partner the government in addressing the infrastructure deficit in the country via the establishment of the TTP which no doubt will return sanity to our highways among other benefits.
As critical stakeholders in the TTP initiative, there is the need for state governments to do all within their powers to ensure that lands are not only provided for construction of the parks but ensure that all encumbrances are put out of the way for willing investors to hit the ground running. It is also important that the state government and local governments put in place measures/regulations that will guarantee adequate patronage of the parks by drivers. Sanctions should be applied to violators of such measures. This is one way to assure investors of government’s seriousness and continuous support.
While we call on stakeholders in the transport sector, financial institutions and business men to see the TTP as an investment opportunity and get on-board quickly, the Federal Government should consider giving economic incentives including tax reliefs among others to investors willing to partner with it in the establishment of the Truck Transit Parks across strategic highways in the country.
