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| Gov. Buni performing the foundation laying ceremony of the Potiskum Truck Transit Park |
Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni today performed
the foundation laying ceremony of the Potiskum Truck Transit Park in Postiskum,
one of the largest commercial towns in Yobe State as part of activities to mark
his hundred days in office as governor.
The Truck Transit Park which is a partnership
project of the Yobe State Government and the Nigeria Shippers Council according
to the governor is estimated to provide 5000 direct jobs to unemployed youth of
the state.
Performing the ground breaking ceremony at Potiskum,
this afternoon, governor Buni emphasised the importance bringing the trucking
business under one roof and the sitting of
the project at Potiskum, which he noted has the highest volume of truck
business in northern Nigeria.
“We
reckoned that as the town with possibly the highest concentration of trailer
trucks in the whole of northern Nigeria, Potiskum would be a lot better if we
established a Park where the ever-growing trucking business is brought under
one roof. If we did that, we believed Potiskum would be a lot cleaner and less
congested.
“As
noted by the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council in his
speech a few moments ago, we also reckoned that the Potiskum Truck Transit Park
is going to support up to 5000 direct jobs. These jobs and their positive
spin-offs will certainly transform wealth creation in Yobe State and improve
the economy overall,” Gov. Buni said.
Gov. Buni also noted that his government will
provide an enabling environment for an excellent relationship with the private
sector to enhance the overall productivity and wellbeing of the his people,
stressing that, “As we all know, economies that do better
are those that take investments in the wellbeing of their people seriously.
Whenever the government and the private sector work harmoniously together,
overall productivity among the populace tends to rise, and this always results
in a prosperity that is widely shared”.
He
added that; “I want to assure all our partners that the Yobe State Government
will continue to take all measures necessary to provide a friendly investment
climate in our state. Through the
Public-Private Partnership and other such arrangements, we will intensify our
effort to promote economic growth and provide more job opportunities for our
people”.
He
also pledged to ensuring the success of the project, saying that, “we will
ensure that clean, drinkable water, electricity and access road are provided to
the site when completed, so that the Potiskum Truck Transit Park is ready for
business from the very start”.
The
governor thank the board of Shippers Council of Nigeria, the National Union of
Road Transport Workers and the National Association of Road Transport Owners,
and the people of Potiskum for making the ceremony a reality.
Earlier in his speech, the Executive Secretary
and Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Hassan Bello said,
Potiskum and Koko/Jega Truck Transit Park are
some of the new Transit Parks
that the council has indentified for
development in the country including
another total of about 22 others across the country undergoing development.
He
noted that Potiskum has the characteristics that qualify it to have a vibrant
Truck Transit Park.
“Potiskum
has a vibrant cattle market which is the highest in Sub-Saharan Africa. It is a
major gate to neighbouring countries of Cameroon, Chad, and Niger Republic. The
prospects of the project are therefore very bright,” Bello noted.
While
explaining the importance of the composition of the typical Truck Transit Park,
Mr. Bello noted that, “The Truck Transits Park is a modern road transport
infrastructures designed for the safety of cargo and standardization of truck
driving. It is a public rest area located off the road, designed to provide
temporary rest locations for drivers. It is primarily intended for short term
safety breaks and also long term services in high-use corridors.
“The
aim of the of the Truck Transit Park is to ensure that Truck Operators obtain
some measure of safety and comfort while in transit and also reduce the rate of
Road Traffic Crashes among articulated vehicles on the road”.
He added
that the Park will be made up of a fuel/gas station. Mechanic workshops, Hotels/motels,
shops, Recreation Centres, Banking Facilities, Training Centres, Garage/parking
slots, security, safety officer and fire fighter, well designed roads network within
the park, electricity and portable water and medical facilities such as clinics.
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