The Minister of Transport, Sen. Idris Umar, said the Federal Government has initiated a Transport Reform Bill aimed at encouraging the participation of state and local governments in the sector.
Umar, who stated this at a one-day Conference on the Use of Road and Accident Prevention Techniques in Abuja yesterday, said the draft would soon be transmitted to the National Assembly.
He said government was constructing, maintaining and rehabilitating more roads, including showing more commitment towards reactivating the rail system to reduce pressure on the roads.
According to him, the Federal Government has started the construction of new standard gauge lines and promoting inland waterways transport to provide cheaper means of transportation to the people.
“Government is also committed to implementing the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety programme as an action against road traffic accidents and reduction of fatalities by 50 per cent by 2020.’’
He added that the UN policy was aimed at reducing the number deaths and injuries in the country.
“On our part, this will go a long way in making our roads safer in accordance with the vision of the UN’’, he said.
The minister said the causes of road traffic accidents included speed, bad roads and impatience of motorists.
He expressed the hope that the conference would change the behavioral patterns of road users and improve safety.
“This conference is organised appraise the negative behavioral tendencies of road users, examine the knowledge and skills gap among road users and traffic law enforcement officials’’, he said.
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