Buhari performs ground-breaking ceremony of Africa’s number University of Transport in Daura
*As Amaechi clears doubts over siting Varsity in President’s town
*Says decision is mine
President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, continues to win medals to his name as the civilian administration of the country he heads witnesses yet another feat in the siting of Africa’s number one University of Transportation in his country home of Daura, in Katsina State, North West Nigeria.
The ground-breaking ceremony of the university was performed on Monday at an occasion attended by stakeholders particularly the Minister of Transportation, Chief Rotimi Amaechi and Governor of Katsina State, Alhaji Aminu Bello Masari among others.
At the ceremony, President Buhari said the University of Transportation will provide technical skills, enhance managerial capacity and pave way for innovation in Nigeria’s transport system, while creating more job opportunities.
The President noted that the transport sector was in dire need of new thinking, skills and investment, assuring that the university will open up opportunities for economic growth.
“The project is part of the ongoing effort of the Federal Government towards promotion and development of indigenous capacity through technology acquisition and knowledge transfer to effectively maintain and operate numerous railway infrastructure,’’ he said.
He said the policy on development of indigenous capacity will be vigorously pursued by the government.
“When established the university would among other things pave way for domestication of railway engineering and general transportation sciences in Nigeria thereby bridging the technology and skill gap in the railway and ultimately transportation sector,’’ he added.
President Buhari said the university, which is an investment by China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC), will be fully supported by the Federal Government with guidelines to ensure domestication that will support local infrastructure.
While commending the Katsina State government for speedily providing land for the university, and the Ministry of Transportation for the initiative, the President said his administration will continue to prioritize railway transportation that will reduce cost of transportation and ease movement.
In his remarks, Governor Aminu Bello Masari of Katsina State said the university will further boost the efforts of the state in providing sound education and technical skills to indigenes of the state.
The governor said the infrastructure of the state had been improved with the construction of many roads, adding that the university will provide requisite technical and managerial skills.
The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, said siting the university in Daura will encourage cultural exchange as well as fill the gap in technical and managerial skills for the transport sector.
“The decision to bring this university to Daura was purely mine,’’ he added.
