By Fidelis Ugbomeh
Chartered Institute of Transport and Logistics (CILT) has expressed readiness to deepen collaboration with management of Nigerian Railway Corporation ((NRC) particularly in training of personnel.
President of the Institute Mrs. Ufom Usoro who made this known during a courtesy visit to the corporation’s headquarters in Lagos recently said the over 100 year old institute, chartered in the United Kingdom, is an international organisation that maintains same global standard, content and curriculum thereby making its members fit for any job in the transportation systems anywhere in the world.
While acknowledging railway as a major player and the backbone of transportation and logistics sector in Nigeria, Usoro said “with presence of CILT in over 133 countries, it has been at the forefront of shaping logistics and transportation globally”
She stated further that structure of CILT ensures that same international standards are applied across all member countries adding that the Institute carries out global audit of its curriculum content in order to ensure that member uphold sound professionalism and quality befitting the sector.
The CILT president also mentioned how the Institute’s certification helped members secure jobs and academic placements abroad.
She also stressed the organisation’s ongoing involvement in national advocacy, including its significant contributions to the National Transport Policy formulation.
The president also conferred a Fellowship award on managing director of NRC, Dr. Kayode Opeifa.
Responding Opeifa accepted the fellowship award and reaffirmed NRC’s commitment to promoting professional standards of its workforce.
“We recognise the value of CILT and the role it plays in strengthening logistics and transportation. As a major player in the rail sector, we must ensure that professionals with requisite training in the sector begin to manage our mobility systems,” he said.
According to him, the Corporation is proud to have sound local engineers and other professionals who can hold their own against their contemporaries anywhere in the world just as its civil engineers could readily lay tracks and the mechanical engineers can work on any engines and repurpose any equipment for the benefit of Nigerians.