Professor Obiora Okonkwo, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of United Nigeria Airlines Company Limited, believes that deliberate government investment and integrated policy review on highway, waterway, and airport management can significantly develop the transportation sector and improve Nigeria’s economy.
He stated this while delivering a goodwill message at the 9th Annual Nigeria Transport Lecture in Abuja, which was organized by Transport Day News in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Transportation and focused on the theme: Nigeria’s Transportation for Development.
The CEO, who was represented at the event by his Special Adviser and Director of Administration and Management, Linus Awute, stated that despite Nigeria’s status as one of the world’s most mobile nations, the country has yet to get it right in terms of minimum expectations such as punctual travel service, travel security and safety, whether by air, waterway, or highway.
He advocated for a participatory policy review that would include not only the ministries of transportation, aviation, and works, but also key stakeholders and development partners in the sector.
“Transportation, whether by road, air or sea, share a symbiotic relationship with economic development. It follows therefore that an efficient transportation system facilitates National and Regional Economic Development,” he said.
“It is also established that efficient transportation system is one of the basic requirements for the security of any nation and, in fact, the live-wire and soul of trade, commerce and industry anywhere.
“Regrettably, all the frontiers of transportation in Nigeria are heavy laden with monumental challenges, requiring too much to do in order to redeem the sector.
“We recognize also that the key challenge for achieving efficiency in this sector are related to human errors and weaknesses in decision making, including the unpredictability of national policy environment.”
Despite ongoing government efforts to revitalize the sector, the CEO believes that more can be accomplished if there is “cohesion and synergy between relevant government agencies, particularly on issues relating to road and highway infrastructure development.”
United Nigeria Airlines, headquartered in Enugu, began commercial flight operations in February 2021 and currently operates routes between Lagos, Anambra, Abuja, Port-Harcourt, Bayelsa, Owerri, Asaba, Enugu, and Osubi.
He believes the conference is timely and should result in a communiqué outlining quick wins for the government and the people of Nigeria.
