The Ministry of Transportation says the use of bicycles will be considered as alternative means of commuting to promote a cleaner environment and healthy lifestyle.
The Director, Road Transport and Mass Transit Administration, Musa Ibrahim, revealed this at a One Day Stakeholders Sensitisation Meeting in Abuja, saying the goal was to enhance and heighten the importance of cycling in Nigeria, which will clearlylead to a decrease in road crash incidences.
Mr Ibrahim highlighted that the Stakeholders Sensitisation conference coincides with World Bicycle Day, which is observed yearly on June 3rd as a result of a United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) resolution.
The World Bicycle Day, according to the Director, recognizes “the uniqueness, longevity, and versatility of the bicycle as a simple, affordable, reliable, clean, and environmentally fit sustainable mode of transport, fostering environmental stewardship and health,” hence the United Nations 2023 World Bicycle Day theme: “Riding Together for a Sustainable Future.”
Speaking further, the Director noted 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.
Furthermore, a proponent for Non-Motorised Transportation (NMT), the Chief Executive Officer, Ochenuell Mobility, Emmanuel John, argued in his presentation titled: ‘Power of Cycling’ that cycling initiatives go beyond efforts to address climate change by reducing carbon footprints.
He stated that establishing a non-motorized transportation travel culture in the country through the implementation of Green Corridors would be a cure for some of the mentioned shortcomings.
He stated that if the Federal Government supports and implements the National Stakeholders Forum on Bicycle Transportation, most of the issues associated with greater use of motorized transportation will be greatly alleviated.
Representatives from the Nigeria Institute of Transport Technology in Zaria, the Federal Road Safety Corps, the Federal Road Maintenance Agency, the National Union of Road Transport Workers, the Greenlight Initiative, and the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) were among those present at the sensitization meeting.
