By Our Correspondent
A call has gone to all transportation professionals to throw their weight behind the University of Transportation being proposed for the country.
The Minister of Transportation Mr Rotimi Amaechi at his routine inspection of the Lagos-Ibadan Standard Gauge project that the ground breaking ceremony for the premier university of transportation in Daura, Katsina State in September.
The university is being presented by the Chinese government to support the nation’s growing transportation sector.
Throwing his weight behind the idea, one of the doyen of the transportation industry, Dr Tajudeen Bawa’Allah, who described the university as “a worthy cause that would enhance professionalism in the transportation sector of the economy.”
In a statement which he personally signed and addressed to other transportation professionals, Bawa’Allah said the government must be commended for the recognition accorded the sector.
“This is one big one for our profession, it is towards a legacy, and is our pride,” Bawa’Allah said.
According to him, the university would ensure the production of skilled manpower to man the sector and take it away from the hands of quacks presently killing the system.
Dr Bawa’Allah, who was the mastermind and first dean of the School of Transportation (SOT) of the Lagos State University, LASU-SOT, said just like Medical Sciences which is now enjoying preeminence, the university would give a deserving pride of place to transportation and transportation studies.
Citing the strides of the LASU-SOT, since its establishment in 2008, Bawa’Allah said from only one candidate who applied through JAMB to be admitted to the school in 2008, the school has grown in relevance to the point of curtailing the influx of students wishing to study transportation.
He said: “Without doubt the Daura project would boost Transportation education and hence professionalism in the transportation sector of the economy.”
Recalling that he had secured a scholarship to study Mechanical Engineering and specialized in transportation Technology from a Moscow University, in the then USSR, where temperatures fall below 40 degrees centigrade in December, Bawa’Allah said the harsh weather in Daura should not be a barrier to the project.
He said: “I have read comments in social media about the Daura Project. How I wish the commentators were there in LASU Senate when SOT project was considered. The attitude was ‘Let’s see how it goes.’ Today, it’s a success story. Thanks to everyone that had faith in the vision of Babatunde Raji Fashola.
“Daura project is destined to succeed, just as the success story of LASUSOT,” he asserted.
