FG to incorporate electric vehicles into country’s proposed mass transit system

The Federal government is thinking about incorporating electric vehicles into the country’s proposed mass transit system in an effort to reduce the cost of transportation in Nigeria as a result of the elimination of fuel subsidies.

Sen. Said Ahmed Alkali said in remarks made on Tuesday in Abuja before starting his new job as the minister of transportation that Nigeria would once again have a public transit system.

“I will assure a sustainable relationship with related ministries, agencies, and business organisations to resuscitate the road transport and public transit operations in the Country,” he stated.

The ministry will concentrate on policies that would support a decrease in the cost of transit for both passengers and freight, according to Alkali, who noted that the country’s transport costs have recently increased.

“In a similar vein, I will work to provide, modernise, renovate, plan, and grow the rail transportation sector with effective security services to promote the realisation of government’s core mission, all while carefully examining current economic trends.

“There is no question that this project will fully realise the potentials reflected in the most recent constitutional amendments that changed the status of rail transport services from the exclusive list to the concurrent list. Additionally, it will lessen the ongoing threat of accidents, kidnappings, and armed robberies on our highways.

The Minister stated that “the Ministry of Transport must assume a leading role in improving public transport to support the numerous policies that are geared towards providing democratic dividends that are accessible to ordinary Nigerians through effective provision of public transport that is effective, secure, affordable, and convenient across the country.

Given its critical position as the nation’s economic entry point, it is significant to note that the Federal Ministry of Transportation is one of the few Ministries that was founded and has continued in existence from the colonial period to the present with little name change.

This could also explain why the Ministry is undergoing restructuring in response to new, pressing national economic issues that call for the Ministry’s expertise, he said.

Alkali also vowed that his administration will work to ensure the fulfilment of both the ministry’s and the agencies under its control’s mandates.

“This effort will help to harness the nation’s resources, promote national prosperity, and create a dynamic economy that is self-reliant, which will actualize the “Renewed Hope” of the current administration’s development agenda of ensuring an effective transport system consistent with the socio-economic objectives of the Constitution.”