The Vice-Chancellor of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Prof. Olufemi Peters has tasked stakeholders in the transport sector to develop human capacity so as to bring about sustainable mobility in the continent.
Prof. Peters stated this while playing host to the participants of 4th Africa Sustainable Urban Mobility Course who paid him a courtesy visit on Friday, 26th November, 2021 at the University 's headquarters, Jabi, Abuja.
Represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Administration, (DVC), Prof. Isaac Sammani Butswat, the VC said, "It gives me great pleasure that the participants are keeping faith with their annual course/training despite the pandemic which is now past, hopefully. I congratulate you for holding your annual training, and I hope it was blended.
"The pandemic will affect mobility system and road safety, therefore, the need to develop human capacity in Africa. You people need to set an agenda for the post-pandemic urban mobility and road development.
"The development should involve both the formal and informal sectors, such that mobility will become more sustainable, service oriented, improved capacity, equitable, safer, efficient and afforbable," he added.
While calling on stakeholders to evolve inclusive post-pandemic mobility thereby bringing more women into the transport gap in Africa, the VC said "there should be some post-pandemic reforms and policies to include and encourage cycling and walking."
"Develop road safety strategy for health and safety, a more people oreinted approach taking cognisance of the physically challenged, aged, school children, etc.
"Infrastructure design reforms should be seen as panacea for transforming urban mobility. Take the good example of Lagos. We need more knowledge on sustainable mobility, planning and institutional arrangements," VC emphasized.
While advising the stakeholders to suggest ways to avoid traffic congestions, alleviate climate change and improve universal access, the VC promised NOUN's continuous support to "the course and work with the partners to increase the number of participants within and outside Nigeria, to widen knowledge sharing from other cities in Africa and beyond."
NOUN Principal Officer's in a group photograph with some of the participants
Earlier in his speech, the director of Ochenuel Mobility as well as the organizer of the course, Engr. Emmanuel John thanked the VC and the university management for their support since the inception of the programme.
It will be recalled that Africa Sustainable Urban Mobility Course is an annual training/course organized by Ochenuel Mobility, a Non-governmental Organisation saddled with the responsibility of building the capacity of policymakers, transport planners, engineers, advocates and other experts in transport sector across Africa.
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