The Federal Ministry of Transportation has revealed its plans to explore bicycles as a viable alternative means of commuting to promote a cleaner environment and healthier lifestyle. The announcement was made by Musa Ibrahim, the Director of Road Transport and Mass Transit Administration, during a stakeholders’ sensitization meeting held in Abuja.
The primary objective of the initiative is to highlight the significance of cycling in Nigeria and its potential to significantly reduce road accidents. Ibrahim emphasized that this meeting coincided with World Bicycle Day, an event marked annually on June 3 by a United Nations General Assembly resolution.
In a statement issued by Henshaw Ogubike, the Director of Press and Public Relations, Ibrahim highlighted the essence of World Bicycle Day, recognizing the bicycle’s unique qualities as an affordable, reliable, and environmentally friendly means of transport that promotes both environmental stewardship and health. The theme for the United Nations’ 2023 World Bicycle Day was “Riding Together for a Sustainable Future.”
Furthermore, Ibrahim noted that advocates of cycling have endorsed its use as a means of combating poverty, contributing to sustainable development, promoting education, especially physical education for children and youth, improving public health, preventing diseases, and fostering social inclusion.
Emmanuel John, the Chief Executive Officer of Ochenuell Mobility, also weighed in on the matter, stating that the cycling initiative’s benefits go beyond addressing climate change and reducing carbon footprints. He referred to a study conducted by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries, revealing that most African nations lose approximately three per cent of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) due to traffic congestion each year.
John proposed the adoption of Green Corridors and the development of a non-motorized transportation culture in the country as a solution to some of the identified challenges. He believes that with Federal Government support and the adoption of the National Stakeholders Forum on Bicycle Transportation, many issues related to increased motorized transportation usage can be significantly reduced.
Stakeholders present at the sensitization meeting included 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.
