Federal Ministry of Transportation says it is considering the use of bicycles as an alternative means of commuting, noting that it promotes a cleaner environment and a healthy lifestyle.
Director, Road Transport and Mass Transit Administration, Musa Ibrahim, stated this at the one-day stakeholders sensitization meeting held in Abuja recently.
Ibrahim said the idea is to enhance and heighten the importance of cycling in Nigeria, adding that it will obviously lead to a drop in road crash incidents.
He noted that the stakeholder’s sensitization meeting is in consonance with the World Bicycle Day, which is marked annually on June 3 through a United Nations General Assembly resolution.
Director, Press and Public Relations, Henshaw Ogubike, in a statement on Thursday, quoted Ibrahim as saying that the World Bicycle Day recognises “the uniqueness, longevity and versatility of the bicycle as a simple, affordable, reliable, clean and environmentally fit sustainable means of transport, fostering environmental stewardship and health,” hence the United Nations 2023 World Bicycle Day theme: ‘Riding Together for a Sustainable Future.
The Director added that proponents have equally encouraged the use of bicycles as a means of eradicating poverty, furthering sustainable development, strengthening education, including physical education, for children and young people, promoting health, preventing disease, and facilitating social inclusion.
Chief Executive Officer, Ochenuell Mobility, Emmanuel John, argued that the cycling initiative extends beyond efforts to address climate change by cutting down on carbon footprints.
John also said that the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Countries, in a study amongst others, outlined that most African countries throw away three per cent of their Gross Domestic Product to traffic congestion annually.
According to the statement, “He proposed that developing a Non-motorised transportation travel culture in the country through the adoption of Green Corridors is a panacea to some of the identified drawbacks.”
He pointed out that most of the challenges encountered with increased usage of motorised transportation will be reduced to a large extent if the Federal Government supports and adopts the National Stakeholders Forum on Bicycle Transportation.
“Stakeholders at the sensitization meeting, amongst others, included representatives from the Nigeria Institute of Transport Technology; Zaria, The Federal Road Safety Corps, Federal Road Maintenance Agency, National Union of Road Transport Workers, Greenlight Initiative and Federal Capital Territory Administration .”