The National Institute of Transport Technology (NITT), Zaria, in Kaduna State, has trained 4,882 transport and logistics experts in two years.
Dr Bayero Salih-Farah, the Director General of the institute, said the training was geared toward strengthening the logistics and transport sector with skilled, disciplined and well motivated workforce.
Salih-Farah said on Sunday in Zaria that the training was conducted by the Institute’s Transport School from 2019 to 2020.
The director-general said the beneficiaries of the training were mostly staff of Federal Ministry of Transportation and its agencies, and officials of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Road Traffic Management.
Others were officers of Kaduna Dtate Traffic Law Enforcement Authority (KASTLEA) and Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA).
Salih-Farah said the institute would strengthen its collaboration with Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria with whom it ran a post graduate diploma programme in Logistics and Supply Chain and Masters programme in Transport and Logistics.
He said in the last two years, 448 were trained in these programmes, stressing that currently 30 participants were undergoing Post Graduate Diploma in Logistics and Supply Chain in collaboration with Multimix Academy.
The director-general disclosed that plans had reached advanced stage for a Post Graduate Diploma in Cold Chain Management to train professionals on handling of vaccine and other cold store products.
He added that the institute had reached advanced stage in discussion with the ABU to begin a doctorate degree programme in Transport and Logistics.
Salih-Farah said the institute through its Transport Technology Centre (TTC) was also pursuing the introduction of National Diploma and Higher National Diploma on Mechatronics, Welding and Fabrication, Crane Operation and Project Management with the NBTE.
He disclosed that in the last two years, the TTC through its Driving School had trained 157 novice drivers; 367 experienced drivers were also trained and registered for FRSC Driver certification.
Ms Gbemisola Saraki, the Minister of state for Transportation, on April 1, inaugurated projects at the institute, including the Main Auditorium, Digital Library, Medical Centre and Hostels, among others.
The minister said the inauguration was aimed at putting the institute on the right path, expanding it and encouraging more people to study at the institute with a view to boosting transport and logistics industry.
Saraki said the ministry would support the institute and ensure that it got all it needed to move forward.
