President Muhammadu Buhari has commended the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) and the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi for their efforts in ensuring that transport technology is localised in Nigeria through the transfer of knowledge.
Speaking on Monday, in Daura, Katsina state, while declaring the commencement of the construction of the proposed university of transportation, Buhari said “the project is expected to have a multiplier effect on the economy as well as on the life of Nigerians and Students in particular.
“The project is expected to generate academic and non-academic jobs and also produce the much-needed platform for Engineers, Technicians and Transportation Managers to gain requisite skills in the area of railway technology, development, management and other related transportation sciences.
“In light of the clear advantages of this University, I wish to commend on behalf of the good people of Nigeria, Messrs China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC) who is building this University as part of their corporate social responsibility. In addition to this, I wish to put on record and commend CCECC for the willingness to establish, also, the Rolling Stock Assembly plant in Kajola, Ogun State whose groundbreaking took place on November 9, 2019.
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“These projects are testaments to the Innovative Contracting Model of the Federal Ministry of Transportation which have made technological transfer and sustainability the cornerstone of project development in the transportation sector. On this note, I wish to commend also the Honourable Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi and his team for this business unusual method of contracting,” he noted.
Buhari explained further that “in line with the Federal Government Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) and the Presidential Order No. 005 this University will assist to build the capacity of Nigerian Professionals, Technicians and Human Resources in the Transportation Sector and also to fast-track technology transfer and Nigerian Content in contracts, Science, Engineering and Technology.
“It is, therefore, my expectation that in no distant future, Nigeria as a result of the graduates from this University will effectively operate and maintain the numerous railway infrastructure and services which my government is vigorously developing across the country.”
He noted that the University and Rolling Stock Assembly plant projects have demonstrated the commitment of Messrs CCECC to having a long-term relationship with Nigeria and “thus create more avenues for collaboration between the parties and will no doubt assist the enhancement of the bilateral relationship between China and Nigeria” the President stated.
Buhari called on the host community to ensure the security and well being of the people who will be working on the project. “I want to thank the State Government and the people of the State and urge the host communities and general public to support this University project by cooperating with the contractors in safeguarding and protecting this investment.”
Speaking earlier, the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi explained that CCECC had promise during the World Transport convention held in China in 2017 to establish a University of Transportation in Nigeria to cement the Bilateral relationship between Federal Republic of Nigeria and People’s Republic of China by way of building local capacity to meet the technology transfer requirement of Nigeria through tangible corporate social responsibility projects.
He said “the University when established would among other things pave way for domestication of railway engineering and general Transportation sciences in Nigeria as an addition to localization of manufacturing of railways and railway-related Infrastructure thereby bridging the technology and skill gap in the Railway Sub-Sector.
He commended the Government of Katsina state for the “speed with which it granted approval in December 2018 and set aside this piece of land measuring 413 Hectares situated here in Sandamu Local Government Area for the construction of the university.”
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