SHOULD NIGERIA EMPHACISE TRANSPORTATION IN PLACE OF PUBLIC

WORKS?

Discussion points presented at Nigeria Development and Finance Forum 2013 in Washington DC

by Emmanuel H Onyekwere, PhD.Former Resource Allocation Manager DDOT &

Coordinator, NIDO Maryland, Baltimore Chapter

Transformation Agenda

• Wiktionary describes transformation as: A marked change in appearance or character, especially one for the better

• For the transformation agenda of the Federal Republic to make sense, it must make lives of Nigerians better.

• For thinking about transforming Nigeria, we must give credit to whom it is due.

Thinking and Doing: Two Opposite Sides of a Coin

• Achieving transformation require more than slogans.

• It requires planning and allocation of resources.• It requires clear definition of requirements and

what is to be measured. A schedule developed• It requires implementation and monitoring• The results must be quantifiable and measurable • The lessons learned, (good and bad) must be

documented and become part of Organization’s Process Assets (OPAs)

IS NIGERIA READY AND TRANSFORMING?

• The answer depends on where you look: For example, building Rapid Transit Systems and BRT bus lines in Lagos is transformation.

• Privatization of Power as advocated in my book is another.

• On going Transformation of Akwa Ibom public space by the government of that state are all remarkable achievements.

• The question is, are there plans in place to maintain and sustain these achievements.

Should Transportation be left out ?

• To achieve total transformation in Nigeria, all structures bequeathed from colonization should be changed for the better.

• The reason: ownership and rebranding, civic pride. Nigerians need to take ownership of their country.

• After Power Transformation, Transportation should be next.

Expand the US Nigeria Binational Commission Agreement

• Create additional working group to focus on Transportation.

• To create the conditions that allow systems developed for Nigeria to interface with systems in USA. Adopt a Transportation Model

• Under this model a new agency called the Ministry of Transportation (MOT) would emerge.

• Every State in the Federation would also adopt a similar nomenclature.

Use of the Binational Agreement with the U.S.

• Current Federal Ministries of Aviation would become a parastatal in charge of airspace management. A National Port Administration and Railroad, Motor Carrier Administrations would be created.

• The Nigeria Railway Corporation would be broken into six, become Regional Railway Commissions in six geopolitical zones of Nigeria.

Use of the Binational Agreement with the U.S.

• Work with Federal Highway Administration under the agreement to implement the Federal Highway Aid Program.

• Under this program, the 36 States of Nigeria would only pay 20 percent and the federal government would pay 8o percent of all Transportation Infrastructure costs approved under the plan.

• Create the enabling Legislation to support the program.

PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION

• The United States Transportation Research Board (TRB) is an arm of the National Academies of Science.

• The National Academies of Science Advises the White House and this Nation on Science, Engineering and Medicine.

• The annual TRB Conference in Washington, DC is held in January every year and takes place in four to six hotels simultaneously.

Use of the Binational Agreement with the U.S.

• There are well developed contacts at the TRB that can be leveraged to stage a similar Transportation Conference for the Nigeria and the ECOWAS Region in Abuja or Lagos.

• It requires and MOU between Nigeria and TRB, a Funding Agreement, a Participation agreement from all Research Universities in Nigeria, The Ministries of Science and Technology, Works, Transport, Aviation, Federal Emergency Road Management Agency and Private Sector Participants and Exhibitors.

• And a schedule. Thank you.