The
Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi has said the private sector
players cannot extricate themselves from the failings of the Federal Government
in delivering an efficient transportation system to the country, saying they
had failed in playing their roles effectively.
Amaechi
spoke on Thursday in Lagos during a Government Meets Business forum organized
by the Institute of Directors of Nigeria (IoD) with the theme,
"Transportation: A Vehicle for Development".
He
said private sector players in Nigeria are 99 percent dependant on government,
adding that they are not reliable as investors.
He
said government had in the past provided funds for the private sector but such
funds were either misused or diverted.
Amaechi
recalled that a private sector player in Nigeria got a loan of N32bn to develop
the aviation sector but diverted the money to open a bank outside Nigeria,
saying up till now nothing had been done to him.
At
the forum were key transport stakeholders including the Director General of
Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku
Peterside; Managing Director of Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC), Engr. Fidet
Okhiria, among others.
Amaechi
added that the government has opened up the transportation sector completely to
the private sector, noting that the aviation and infrastructures at the Sea
Port had been privatised.
According
to him, the only area yet to be privatised is the railway.
However
he said talks are currently ongoing with the General Electric to take over the
railway sector, disclosing that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) had last
week approved the concession plan.
He
said the proposed concession, when completed would leave the government playing
only regulatory functions in the entire transportation sector
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