In a bid to reposition the Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology (NITT) Zaria, Kaduna, for optimum performance, Minister of Transportation Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has advised the management to create jobs for the masses.
Amaechi’s advice is in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s Next Level agenda to create more jobs for the teaming youths in the country.
Amaechi spoke in Kaduna when he declared open a 3- day retreat on ‘Repositioning the Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology’, on today.
The Minister said when jobs are created for the people the society would become a better place for all.
According to him “As an Institute, we must begin to create jobs for our people. For me, the number of persons we are able to inject into self-employment matters a lot to the society.
The government alone cannot create jobs for everybody, so I think the NITT should also focus on job creation “, he said.
Amaechi, however, told the Institute to also engage qualified teachers and provide the best of facilities to improve on the overall knowledge of the students.
“Being an Institute is not just about the infrastructure or the number of classrooms that you have, It is about the facilities at your disposal. If you don’t have qualified teachers then you have no reason to be tagged an Institute”, he said.
The Minister urged the management and staff of the Institute to be committed to their duties, adding, ” If we all work hard our society will be a better place for all”.
Meanwhile, after a tour of the Institute’s facilities in Zaria, Kaduna State, Amaechi said he was impressed with the infrastructures on the ground and implored the management to embark on youth training in order to create job opportunities for them.
“I am satisfied with what I have seen but they need to train young men and women and expand their knowledge so that they can create employment “.
He said, “The President is very mindful of the fact that creation of Infrastructures will create employment and creation of employment will, in turn, create wealth and this will definitely reduce crime”.
Chairman, Governing Council of the NITT, Olorogun John Onojeharho, said “the role of transport and logistics in any economy, especially developing economies like Nigeria cannot be overemphasized.
“Transportation is the major artery that energizes the economy. A well thought out and focused transport policy is sine-qua-none to economic growth”.
He added that “transportation is beyond building roads, se ports, airports and railways. Indeed, those multimodal transport infrastructure must anticipate and project the future economic growth of any nation”.
The chairman expressed optimism that the will assist the institute in its repositioning driving, added that the support of the Minister will go a long way in this regard.
“It is my hope and expectation that in these three days we will be able to identify critical success factors towards achieving the lofty objectives and goals of the Institute”.
Earlier, Acting Director-General and Chief Executive of the Institute Dr. Bayero Salih Farah, thanked Amaechi for his support and inspiration to the growth of the Institute.
According to him, since its establishment three decades ago, the Institute has trained more than five thousand personnel in various transport and logistics fields.
“I thank the Hon. Minister of Transportation for always being a pillar of support and inspiration to NITT.
It might interest you to know that in pursuant of its mandate over the years, NITT has trained thousands of managers who are today manning strategic transport organizations in the country in both public and private sectors”.
“In the past five years alone, NITT has trained more than five thousand personnel in various transport and logistics fields under the long and short term programmes”.
Dr.Bayero said the retreat will provide participants the opportunity to brainstorm on ways that will better the Institute.
Resource persons presenting papers during the retreat include- Prof. Andrew Ubogu–Repositioning NITT, the way forward; Dr. Myria Gordon- Networking, Collaboration/Partnership and Affiliation; and Mr. Frank Kintum-Visibility and Business Case for NITT.
