Bicycle
By Dorcas Jonah
Abuja, June 5, 2018 (NAN) Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, on Tuesday, called for the creation of bicycle lanes on the roads to encourage more people to take to cycling as a mode of transport.
Amaechi made the call when he received participants in a mass rally in Abuja as part of activities to mark the maiden edition of the UN World Bicycle Day.
Approved on April 12, 2018 as an official UN day of awareness about the multiple societal benefits of using bicycle for transport and leisure, the UN declared June 3 as World Bicycle Day to acknowledge the contribution of cycling to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The day was celebrated in Abuja by Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in collaboration with the Cycling Federation of Nigeria (CFN).
The minister said there were more Nigerians riding bicycles in the villages, adding that the creation of lanes would encourage the elite to see cycling as a mode of transport.
According to him, the problem with people not riding bicycle is because there are no bicycle lanes and people are afraid of losing their lives due to motorists’ impatience.
He said “to get more bicycle riders, we must incorporate lanes on our roads and make our children imbibe the culture of cycling.
“In our last transport stakeholders meeting in Kaduna, we agreed that Lagos State and Abuja should lead the way in creating bicycles lanes.
“I am using this opportunity to reiterate this fact and also call on stakeholders to ensure creation of bicycle paths and parks for easy mobility.”
Amaechi promised to look into the National Stakeholders Committee on Bicycle to ensure its workability.
He said the Ministry of Transportation had been driving the policy on non-motorised transportation, adding that the ministry was working with relevant stakeholders to ensure its implementation.
The minister promised to also look into the national cycling policy that was put together by FRSC.
The group that participated in the rally went to the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, where members were received by the Minister, Babatunde Fashola, who promised to look into the creation of bicycle lanes.
Fashola, who was represented by Charles Okonmah, Director, Highway South South in the ministry,
also promised to establish bicycle club in the ministry.
At the Ministry of Environment, Ibrahim Jibril, Minister of State for Environment, reiterated government’s effort to protect the environment and ensure noiseless cities.
Jibril, who was represented by Nnamdi Okafor, Assistant Director, Planning and Research, said bicycle was the best form of mobility that reduced pollution of carbon monoxide.
The group also visited Government Secondary School, Tudun Wada and Government Secondary School, Garki, Abuja, to sensitise students on the benefits of cycling and the need to use it as a mode of transportation.
Joshua Falola, Assistant Corp Marshall, FRSC, also solicited for the creation of bicycle lanes on all Nigerian roads to bring more people into riding bicycle.
He said the benefits of cycling could not be over emphasised, adding that it could prevent some non-communicable diseases.
He added that “bicycle as a mode of transportation will ensure clean environment, and if more people ride bicycles, our cities will be noiseless.”
Falola called on the Ministry of Transportation to resuscitate the National Stakeholders Committee on Bicycle which was domicile in the ministry.
“The Ministry of Transportation is the ministry that holds government policies on transportation; particularly bicycle, hence the need to ensure its implementation. (NAN)
DE/HA
======
Edited by Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu