By Opeyemi Balogun.
As parts of effort to revamp the transportation sector of Kogi State and to ensure the State meets up with its counterparts with an organised transport system, the State Government has inaugurated three seperate committees for Lokoja Mega Terminal, Kogi State Confluence Inland Waterways Express Services and Kogi State Confluence Express Services respectively.
While inaugurating the Committees, the State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Mrs Folashade Ayoade PhD, said that the membership of the committees have been carefully selected based on their wealth of experiences in the transportation sector.
Mrs Ayoade noted that the committees will work based on the Public Private Partnership arrangement (PPP).
While rolling out the Terms of Reference (TOR), the SSG noted that, each committees are saddled with the responsibilities of bringing viable and creative ideas that would transform the transportation sector of the State as well as boost its economy.
Earlier in his opening remarks, the Commissioner for Transportation, Honorable Baron Okwoli who has been working his fingers to the bones to ensure that the transportation sector of the State meets up with the required standard maintained that, the need to have an effective transportation services can not be over emphasised.
This he said would boost the economy of the State even as the Ministry of Transportation projects not less than 300,000 to 500,000 monthly internally generated revenue, create room for tourism and commerce through water transportation, serve as image maker to the State with its efficient and effective service delivery amongst other economic benefits.
Okwoli urged the inaugurated committees to put in their best and work hand in hand with the Ministry to achieve the set goals and objectives.
He said if this is achieved, there would be job opportunities to the teeming youths, businesses would thrive and the state would experience a boost in all its sectors hence the transportation sector links with other sector of the State.
In his vote of thanks, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation, Alhaji Jibrail Okeme thanked members of the committees for willingly accepting to bring in their wealth of experiences to transform the transportation sector of the State.
The inauguration ceremony took place at the Banquet Hall, Government House Lokoja,the Kogi state capital.
in attendance were the Honourable Commissioner for Environment, Hon. Victor Omofaiye and other relevant stakeholders in the transportation sector.