Prince Segun Obayendo, the Group Managing Director, Temple Resources Limited, has described the transportation sector as indispensable, a nucleus and driver of growth for any economy if properly harnessed.
Obayendo, an aspirant for the next presidency of the Chartered Institution of Transportation Administration (CIOTA), said this on Wednesday in Abuja
He described CIOTA as a potential economic reformer, with the capacity to restructure the transportation sector for economic growth if well harnessed.
According to him, if elected into office, I will ensure the institute thrives to be able to compete favourably with its counterparts.
This he said he would do with the cooperation and collaboration of the private and public sector engagement.
Obayendo said if elected as president of CIOTA, he would within three months of assumption put together a retreat where a 10-Year Strategic Plan for CIOTA would be developed.
“And once that is developed, a proper foundation will have been laid, a proper compass will have been set for us to see that future that we desire and wish for CIOTA.
“Within six months, we are going to ensure that both private and public sector will have a commitment to recognise certification of CIOTA, there is no magic or too much problem in getting this done, we know where to go and have the time to do it.
“The last cardinal point is that we are going to promote global best practice. Let us do things in the way it is supposed to be, so that we can get the right answers.
“Many at times, we expect magic and miracles to happen while we are not doing the right thing and we are going to say no to that.”
According to him, one other thing that is going to be visible is that we are going to onboard so many people, many agencies, organisations and unions into CIOTA.
“We probably have the largest union in this country in terms of professional bodies but how many of them have been brought into global best practices?
“A secretariat in the city of Abuja will be commissioned within six months of my assumption and before my tenure expires we will deliver a befitting secretariat for the association among other things,” he said.
He listed some of the challenges of the association to include inadequate regulations, insecurity and membership capacity among others.
Obayendo said that his team if elected would ensure aggressive membership drive and the use of relevant technology, experience and expertise among others to resolve most issues of CIOTA.
“We are going to bring regulation into the operation of the sea transporters and on the road transport where there is no enough regulation we are going to ensure regulation.
“CIOTA has all it takes to be the best and greatest professional body in Nigeria and I know the journey has commenced.
“Our manifesto, our campaign is one with timeline and if what we said we are going to do is not done, please raise the flag and I am ready to step aside if we do not meet the timeline,” he said.
He also said he would propose a N1 billion budget for the association in 2023.
On how the money would be realised and spent, Obayendo said it would be derived mainly from membership registrations and conferences.
He said, “first and foremost, aggressive membership drive will give me half of that money.
“Take for example, average new entrance will pay N95,000-N100 000 and by the time I am able to bring in 5.000 members, that is already N500 million and the remaining N500 million we can make that happen from international programmes.
“I have all the time to give CIOTA and do not need CIOTA’s resources, I am ready to commit my personal resources to CIOTA, we are not liabilities but a great asset to CIOTA.”
Mrs Chinwe Uwaegbute, the Executive Secretary, the Nigerian Transportation Commissioners Forum (NTCF), is also vying for the position of publicity Secretary of CIOTA among other contestants in Obayendo’s team.
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