Transport Sector to Become Economic Powerhouse, Tinubu Says
President Bola Tinubu has pledged to make the transport sector, a pride of Nigeria’s economy.
The President made the assertion at the second matriculation ceremony of the Federal University of Transportation, Daura, 2024/2025 academic session.
Tinubu, who was represented by the Minister of Transportation, Sen. Said Alkali, emphasised government commitment towards building a new generation of transportation professionals to transform the sector.
A statement on the President speech at the ceremony, was made available to newsmen in Abuja on Sunday, by the Special Adviser to the Minister on Media, Mr Jibril Alkali.
Tinubu, according to the statement, said FUTD has made significant progress since its establishment, by focusing on transportation education, training, and research.
The President added that the institution is strategic to the government resolve to produce world-class transportation students to address the dearth of human capacity in the transportation industry with a deep focus on Nigeria’s rejuvenated railway system.
He stated that, as the institution matriculated 529 new students for the 2024/2025 academic session, it marked another milestone in its journey to become a leading institution for transportation education.
”The institution will address the dire need for a transport focused education, training, and research-based.
“It will also produce Nigerian experts that will utilise policy, law and industry practice to make the transport sector the pride of Nigerian economy.
”It is our hope and aspirations to produce graduates of the highest quality who can compete favorably with other graduates all over the world.
“We will deliver on our mandate to disseminate specialised knowledge in all modes of transportation to produce Nigerian experts who will utilize policy, law, and industry practice to make the transport sector the pride of Nigeria’s economy,” he said.
The President said that the matriculating students should count themselves lucky to be in the only specialised University of Transportation, which is the first of its kind in Nigeria and Africa.
He urged the students to take advantage of the golden opportunity, to be serious to become the pride of the University, their parents, and the country at large.
Speaking, the Vice Chancellor of FUTD, Professor Umar Katsayal, explained that the University was established to safeguard and sustain the huge investments of the Federal and State Governments in the transportation sector.
He said the institute was also to bridge the gap in human capacity development in the industry.
The VC added that the University had a strong focus on transportation education, training, and research, especially in support of Nigeria’s rejuvenated railway system.
According to him, the CCECC Nigeria Limited, the construction giant behind the Lagos–Kano Railway Modernisation Project, had contributed to the development of the University as part of its corporate social responsibility.
(NAN)