CAPACITY BUILDING: CILT Nigeria Deepens Collaboration With Nigerian Railway Corporation

By Roland Ekama 

 

The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) Nigeria has reaffirmed commitment to support the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) in a bid to build capacity for the workforce.

President of CILT, Nigeria ,Mrs Mfon Usoro stated this on Monday during a working visit to the corporation in Lagos .

Usoro, reassured the Managing Director, NRC, Kayode Opeifa that the Institute has a long standing relationship with the agency in terms of capacity and manpower development .

According to her, CILT has membership spread over 133 countries worldwide and that the institute maintained international standards in terms of its curriculum.

She noted that the institute was empowered to assist private and public organisations linked with transportation in line with transport policies and training of staff, stressing that the NRC has a robust working relationship with CILT under previous administration.

 

However, Usoro, a former Managing Director, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) on behalf of members , CILT Nigeria bestowed the MD of NRC as fellow of the institute .

Responding, Opeifa maintained that CILT over the years has maintained a strong presence in the transportation ecosystem,noting that “Am also conversant with CILT, I also know so many strong members of CILT and I know that CILT is in the forefront when it comes to national issues about transport .

The MD called on CILT executives to look inwards towards ensuring that the institute is present and visible across the 36 states of the federation , lamenting that some agencies from the state and federal governments are yet to understand the relevance of the training institute.

Speaking on the importance of transportation in Nigeria, Opeifa affirmed that no country of the world can survive without a good transport policy, and according to him, the mobility and logistics sub sector has the capacity to create millions of job opportunities for Nigerians.

He lamented that professional bodies in Nigeria have not been given due recognition in advisory capacity for sustainable development, but affirmed that the NRC will continue to consult and support CILT as part of measures in improving the transportation sub sector, especially as it relates to railway activities.

The NRC boss urged the CILT boss to continuously lead the campaign for other states in Nigeria to embrace capacity building programme put in place by the institute

He also expressed satisfaction over the large number of staff from NRC who are members of CILT Nigeria.