‘The professionalization of the transport sector is our battle path as well as the banking of the transport sector. We have to accept modernization, the reforms underway in the sector, the vision of President Alassane Ouattara. We have to accept the policy of our supervising minister,’ declared Mr. Soumahoro.

He was speaking during a meeting to thank the President of the Republic, Alassane Ouattara and the Minister of Transport Amadou Koné, for 90 vehicles allocated to carriers, including 40 mini-buses in the district of Abidjan and 50 taxis in the Bouaké commune.

For the president of the MTCI, the need to professionalize the sector is an imperative to be part of sustainable development. ‘Dearest carrier parents from Côte d’Ivoire, we need to change our behavior, we need to change our mentality. Let’s put on our old clothes to put on new ones, let’s give a new face to transport so that international investors and banks can trust us,’ he said.

According to Mr. Soumahoro, it is imperative for his corporation to work to restore its image to attract investors and beyond to be self-sufficient. ‘We carriers, we have the possibility of creating our own bank, our own insurance but we ignore it. Within five years we must have our own bank, our own insurance. We just need to organize ourselves and you will see that in two to three years the lines will move considerably, ‘he insisted.

sss

MTCI thank you ceremony to the President of the Republic, Alassane Ouattara

The president of the MTCI enjoined his comrades to join the dynamics of the new Ivorian like what the government advocates. ‘We don’t expect money from anyone, but let them tell us that the transporters in Côte d’Ivoire have become professionals, they respect the police, the gendarmerie. They are incorporated as a business,’ he said.

“Let’s help the President of the Republic to reach his goals, let’s help the Minister of Transport to reach his goals, let’s help General Apalo to reach his goals,” he said. According to him, carriers being the first victims when a crisis occurs, their contribution is also expected to help secure the territory.

‘If we don’t support the defense and security forces, when there’s insecurity, we’re the ones who are going to shoulder the pot. When there is a problem in Côte d’Ivoire, we are on the front line,’ said Mr. Soumahoro.

His mentor, Koné Yacouba from the Bouaké district advised the changeover in business. ‘We must be real economic operators in Côte d’Ivoire. Today the government is ready to help carriers, so we have to organize ourselves to take advantage of this windfall. Let’s set ourselves up as a company then,’ he advised.

Source: Agence Ivoirienne de Presse