Moses Akaigwe 08072100049

The Deputy National President of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, Nigeria {CILTN}, has described Transportation as a critical factor in the development of the economy which is sustained by private sector investment with little or no support from government.

He argued that as an enabler of economic activities and facilitator of trade, Transportation is a key sector that all stake holders must energise to play its strategic role in the economy.

The Transportation expert, however, lamented that the industry does not receive adequate encouragement from government, stating that this official neglect destroys the investments of private entrepreneurs, like ABC Transport Plc, who sustain the industry.

Igwe, who made the submission while delivering a public lecture to mark the 25th anniversary of ABC Transport Plc in Owerri recently, called for increased and unhindered investment in transportation and protection of existing capital in the private and public sectors.

‘Investment in transport is a necessary stimulant to development, therefore it should be well articulated and exploited. Deliberate intervention is seriously need to boost transport ability to stimulate and drive development,” the Fellow of Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, Nigeria, advocated.

He observed that it is the private transport that is driving and funding transportation in Nigeria, and wondered what would be the fate of the sector in the absence of the private players.

In his presentation with the title The Contribution of Private Sector Transportation to Nigerian Economy – Perspectives of ABC Transport, the Deputy CILTN Deputy National President asserted that buses and coaches are the most flexible, affordable and adaptable form of passenger transport.

Aside from reducing congestion, according to him, buses and coaches also have the lowest carbon footprint per passenger than any form of motorised transport, mainly because they play an important role in social cohesion, helping people, especially those on low incomes to access education, work and healthcare.

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“And they are often the only transport option for people who don’t drive, have disabilities or live in remote areas. As key link in the mobility chain, it is often a bus or coach that takes you to your final destination once you get off the plane or train.”
He lauded ABC Transport for succeeding in its 1993 mission of leading and transforming road the transport sector which, he pointed out, is today evident in its fleet size of close to 500 vehicles distributed in various service domains.

“Why do we need to celebrate ABC transport at 25? It is more than a traditional silver jubilee. We are here because of a number of reasons, including the fact that business sustainability is not cheap; leading a business into its third decade is not cheap, especially in Nigeria.”

“ABC’s vehicular asset as a percentage of Nigeria’s capital budget in transportation in 2018 is 17.86 per cent. What is the implication of this? This means amongst other things the private transport is funding transportation in Nigeria. Think about the huge gap that will exist in the transportation sector if private players are not in the scene…

“But suffice to say that government is destroying this capital through negligence and dilapidated road infrastructure that increases the wear and tear of vehicles, non-inclusion of private sector in critical policy decisions, lack of incentives and tax reliefs etc.”

He listed some of ABC Transport’s contributions to the sector: as the introduction of value and quality transportation through air-conditioned vehicles, scheduled departures and removal of attachment seats; as well as the offer of Business Class as an alternative to flying.

Quality Sleeper Service, rebate fares for students and loyal passengers, professional driver training through established driving academy, creation of direct and indirect employment, engagement of the user community through the customers forum, and participation in local vehicle assembly, were also identified as other footprints of the front-running Transport company.

The inauguration of the Coach West Africa service, which in 2004 opened the ECOWAS bus corridor, thereby stimulating regional integration through tourism and interaction, was lauded by the Fellow of the CILTN as a huge milestone.

Igwe described the founder and Managing Director of ABC Transport, Mr. Frank Nneji, as “a dreamer; in fact a dream liner.”
His reason: “Going by ABC’s pedigree and mirroring the future, I foresee a giant ABC Airline coming, a university of Transportation with research-intensive activities, and real vehicle manufacturing (not just assembly), etc”.