A data bank expected to provide adequate information and necessary data on all forms of transportation in Nigeria is underway.
The project, tagged: National Transport Data Bank (NTDB), Aminu Musa Yusuf director general and chief executive, Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology (NIIT), Zaria, Kaduna State, said it would provide the necessary data and information in solving the daily challenges and guide individuals and corporate organisations on air, road, rail and maritime transport modes that suit them.
Disclosing this to journalists on the sideline of a workshop and stakeholders’ meeting on the NTDB Project in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, the NIIT boss said the project aimed at providing template, accurate data and information will be a veritable tool for the government, transporters and commuters to plan and will tend to aid national planning.
He said the absence of accurate data and information in the transport sector especially was responsible for the failure of some of the previous projects in the country.
The stakeholders according to him include, NCAA, FAAN, NPA and NURTW among others.
“Stakeholders expected include all operators in the transport sector, in the aviation, we have National Civil Aviation Authority, Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), in the maritime, we have Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA), NIMASA, Nigeria Shippers Council and in the road, we have Luxurious Buses Associations, NURTW among others.
“We also have National Bureau of Statistics Federal Ministry of Transport, logistics operators like Dangote manufacturers, courier operators, they all make the transport sector, these are the kind of stakeholders we are expecting that would give an input to support the arrangement.”
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The purpose of the project according to him was to ensure that all projects stand the test of time by providing adequate information and data before they commenced.
“What we are addressing is that most of our plans cannot survive due to poor planning, the major thing we are doing is that, all projects and plans should be based on sound and dependable information and data.”
Yusuf, who spoke through Saliu Babatunde Akintayo, the director, Transport Research and Intelligence of the institute, said “congestion is due to proper planning and without data you cannot plan well, this is why data collection is very important.
“The project will be an avenue to collect data and information for us to plan, they will just come to the data bank and say, ‘okay, for us to plan transport system for Ibadan or any part of the country, what are the likely traffic and challenges that we should be expecting?’
“These information will help and make us to appreciate the problems and know the rate of accidents, so you will be able to plan, it will help to know the amount of traffic on the rail and roads etc, the data bank will help us to plan well and know the best system that suits everyone.
“The rail will also be complemented by the roads and other transport modes.”
Remi Feyisipo
