The Chairman Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND, Senator Ahmad Babba Kaita said the establishment of Federal University of Transportation, Daura, Katsina and other higher institutions being considered for passage by the Senate will address the shortage of manpower needs in schools and boost economic growth.
Senator Kaita who represent Katsina Central Senatorial District in the upper Chamber made the remark during the Public Hearing on the Bill to Establish Federal University of Transportation, Daura, Katsina State,like; Repeal and Reenactment of the National Commission for Colleges of Education, Act No 3 of 1989; Federal Polytechnic Orozo, Abuja , and Federal College of Education (Special) , Afon, Kwara State.
Emphasizing on the establishment of the Federal University of Transportation, Daura in Katsina state, he said it is like putting a round peg in a round hole.
He sia the University meant a great leap in the lives of the people with enormous economic benefits in promotion of their socio-economic fundamentals.
“The establishment of the tertiary institution in the all-important transportation industry has great potency in boosting economic growth with tremendous impact in the supply chains that adds value and improve the livelihood of many Nigerians thereby, enhancing their socio-economic lives for sustainable development.
“The Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND would continue to monitor the process of passage of the Bill to it’s logical conclusion and would have oversight responsibility from time -to- time as its constitutional role demands.
“The establishment of the University of Transportation, Daura, would greatly help Nigerian citizens to acquire modern knowledge and skills in transportation industry, thereby making the transport systems more organized and profitable venture.
“Inadequate or low knowledge acquisition in the transport sector has adversely impacted on haulage of agricultural commodities such as groundnut, cotton, palm oil, cocoa, coffee timber, livestock/hides making the venture very expensive and less profitable.
“Therefore, the University of Transportation would provide deeper knowledge for cutting edge research to improve transportation and ease of business, not only in the transport sector, but also provide better platform for trust building in business, allow socio-economic and cultural integration for rapid Industrialization of the country”, he said.
According to Kaita, the establishment of the Federal University of Transportation, Daura to train Nigerians for effective and efficient rail transport system will help in the realization of government policy to link all the nation’s seaports like Apapa, Tin Can, Warri, Onne, Calabar ports to the rail network in order to significantly improve overall transportation and economic activities; expand frontiers of trade, tourism and facilitate the development of Export Processing Zones and by extension diversify nation’s economy.
