Alban Igwe, a United Nations Committee on Trade and Transport Location member has advised the federal government to integrate all transport modes.

Mr Igwe gave the advice in an interview with journalists on Friday in Lagos while reacting to a statement by the Minister for Transport, Saidu Alkali, that freight services on the Lagos-Kano Narrow Gauge would begin in May or June.

The minister had also said the Lagos-Kano Narrow Gaug, linked to the Dala dry inland port, would facilitate the conveyance of freight from Lagos to the northern part of Nigeria.

According to Mr Igwe, the country needs to fully exploit multimodality to ensure smooth freight services on the Lagos-Kano rail.

He said that if the country did not exploit multi-modalism, it would be doing a disservice to itself and robbing itself of huge contributions multi-modalism makes to the growth of the economy.

“I think it will be possible if we put the enabling conditions on ground, as the rail alone cannot do it. We need to see rail and road talk with each other.

“We need to see how this will happen because the rail cannot go to the warehouse to pick up goods.

“Someone will bring it from the warehouse. How do we connect that? So, we need to talk multi-modalism – how can these modes complement each other?” he said.

According to him, there is a need to make the rail line more active for optimal operations.

“We need to be more intentional in using rail for freight movement in the country, not just in Lagos.

“We need to think about inter-connected access to all the modes of transport. We need to see what is on the ground and improve on it,” he said.

Mr Igwe said Nigeria’s transport sector had been divided into aviation, marine and blue, and land.

“We should not dismiss the fact that these modes of transport need to be connected to function efficiently.

“For instance, if there is no road network, there will be no flight because you cannot access the flight; it will not come to your house to pick you,” Mr Igwe said. 

(NAN)