Transportation Minister Signs Performance Bond With Directors, CEOs

The Minister of Transportation, Senator Said Alkali on Friday, signed the ministerial performance bond with the Directors and the Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of the ministry and agencies.

Alkali signed the bond for the purpose of accountability, timely and effective performance, to realize the target set for the sector and his ministry.

The bond signed, contains a comprehensive strategy to ensure that the sustainable developments envisioned for the transportation sector come to fruition before the end of the first tenure of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027.

Speaking with journalists at the close of a 2- day Ministerial Retreat on Cascading Signed Performance Bond held on Friday, February 9, 2024, in Abuja, the Minister reiterated his commitment to deliver on the ministerial mandates as captured in the performance bond he signed.

Alkali charged the Directors and heads of agencies under the ministry to be committed to their roles in moving the sector forward; and facilitating the Nigerian economy by providing an efficient, suitable, modern, affordable environmentally friendly, fast, and effective intermodal transport system in line with President Ahmed Bola Tinubu’s directive for the sector.

He stated that this had to involve the private sector and not the government alone.

The highlight of the retreat was the signing of the roles teased out with key performance indicators, for each of the Departments and Agencies of the Ministry by the Directors and Heads of the two Agencies – the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) and the Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology (NITT).

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Along with the Directors of the Ministry, the Managing Director of the NRC, Engineer Fidet Okhiria; the Director General of the Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology (NITT), Dr. Bayero Salih Farah; the Director Rail Department of the Ministry, Engineer Finbarr Zirra; the Director of Road Mass Transit, Mr. Musa Ibrahim; Director of Legal Services of the Ministry, Mr. Pius Oteh; the Director of Human Resources of the Ministry, Mrs. Yetunde Aileru; Director of Engineering Services, Engr. Omotayo Shogo; Director of Finance and Account of the Ministry; Mr. Chinasa Ogbodo signed the performance bond with their minister.

Others who signed to key into the performance of the transportation minister include the Directors of Special Duties, Mrs. Vivian Nwosu; Idris Muhammed Ladan, who is the Director, General Services; Surveyor Akande Adetunji is the Director of Survey Services and Akemu Collins, who is in charge of Procurement. Mr. Olujimi Oyetomi, in charge of Press and Public Relations as well as Dr. Mercy Ilori who coordinates Transport Planning Policy rounded up the signing.

The Performance Bond with an annual appraisal system covering a period of 2023 – 2027, is a joint commitment to turn around the socio-economic fortune of the transportation sector.

Specifically, for the railway development, Engr. Okhiria, the MD of NRC revealed that aligning the narrow gauge to give way to the standard gauge; from Makarfi to Kano which track lane was almost ready at 80%; while formation from Makarfi to Kaduna is ongoing, with all things being equal by the middle of 2025, making it possible to ride from Abuja to Kano are some of the programmes in the performance bond signed today.

On the part of the Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology (NITT), the DG, Bayero Saleh Farah revealed what he signed with the minister to include among others, providing the required manpower for the transport industry to bring in innovation and conduct research in various aspect of the transport sector.

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Oloruntola Olufemi assured the Minister of the commitment of the signatories to work together for the progress of the sector.