Study Shows Reduced Access to Safe Mobility in Low and Middle-Income Countries

Folalumi Alaran

A recent study using Nigeria and Uganda as case studies has revealed a sharp reduction in access to safe Mobility in low and middle-income countries.

The study, titled “ Mobility, Transport, and Ageing in Low and Middle-Income Countries” was a collaborative research conducted by GreenLight Initiative with the Federal University of Technology Owerri and Makerere University Uganda which ran for 12 months.

The research indicates that the majority of older individuals in these countries are adversely impacted by the scant or nonexistent supply of safe and efficient transportation options.

According to GreenLight Initiative, an organization which promotes healthy living and environmentally friendly transportation, inclusive mobility should be taken into account throughout the initial stages of designing and developing mobility services.

Speaking further on the project, the Executive Director for GreenLight Initiative, Simon Patrick Obi explained that the dissemination symposium happening today underscore their priority to not only promote safe and sustainable transportation but also inclusivity in mobility.

He is said, “ After a 12 months in-depth research study of the mobility pattern of the older people, GreenLight Initiative together with its partner organized a dissemination workshop for key stakeholders to review the research outcome.

“ The research activities examined current transport preferences and policies affecting the mobility of the older persons and how they impact on, and are impacted by different factors, and took a broad, multidisciplinary view of these links.

“ It is my belief that this study would increase knowledge and further assist policymakers, advocates, and transport stakeholders to make evidence-based decisions regarding mobility and access for older persons. We continue to thank Volvo Research and Educational Foundation (VREF) for its generous support which allows us to embark on this very important but often neglected area.” He said.

According to Dr. Chinebuli Uzondu, a Researcher/Lecturer from the Federal University of Technology Owerri said, “ It was such a pleasant surprise. I am so thrilled and honored that we were announced as recipients of a grant from the Volvo Research and Educational Foundation (VREF).

“ This grant has enabled us to work on a very important, yet often neglected issue. Our research has explored the mobility needs of older persons in Nigeria and Uganda, to understand their travel patterns, unraveled their travel patterns, transport options available to them, needs and barriers to active mobility.

“ We identified country-specific challenges and have presented evidence-based strategies and recommendations to address and improve the condition. This research is very important to me because I feel that VREF acknowledges the importance of this research and how it will go on to address the issues around transport inequities and exclusions.” She added.

Dr. Paul I. Mukwaya, a Senior Lecturer from the Department of Geography, Geo-informatics and Climatic Sciences, Makerere University, Uganda on his part maintained that, “ For Makerere University, the grant is one of those which has opened up new opportunities, locally and internationally, as we build for the future.

“ Most importantly the research has brought to the fore; not only, the kind of transport inequalities that older persons experience to be more specific, but also the transport policy gaps that exist at city and/or national scale.

“ We have been able to: 1) network with a number of national actors and a conversation on critical transport inequality issues across Kampala City; 2) start an informal dialogue on the mobility needs of older persons across the city and we think this will feed into the revised Multi-modal transport plan for Kampala City: and 3) the results of the project have fed into our curriculum review processes with an improvement of the course content in the Transport Geography course unit.

He continues, “ Finally, now that we are close to the end of the grant period, the grant has been used as one those referred to and benchmarked as we engage in new grant writing ventures with our partners across the continent.

“ We have also been able to build the capacity of our Early Career Researcher and/or Graduate Fellows that have directly been involved in the project activities, not only research management skills but sçientific writing, communication and uptake activities. It is upon these ECRs that the future of the university and country will be built.” He added.