Director General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside, and Professor Ndowa Lale, Vice Chancellor, University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT), have made it clear that a robust integrated transportation system is crucial to the economic development of any country and Nigeria in particular.

They both spoke yesterday in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, at the inauguration of the Governing Board of the Centre for Logistics and Transport Studies (CELTRAS) of UNIPORT. Peterside and Lale agreed that a well-coordinated and integrated transport system is an enabler for movement of goods and services efficiently and effectively, which is vital to achieving economic growth and diversification.

Dr. Peterside noted: “A well-coordinated and integrated transport system is an enabler for movement of goods and services to create time, place and possession utilities; and these are key to economic diversification, which is one of the prime components of the change agenda of the present administration. The dexterity and commitment to advancing the course of transport, logistics and supply chain through research in this Centre would empower people with requisites skills and opportunities, thus bridging the dearth of knowledge in the maritime sector.”

Peterside equally noted that transportation was a critical infrastructure needed to complement and support government programmes and activities geared towards fulfilling the change agenda of the President Muhammadu Buhari led Federal Government.

Corroborating the NIMASA DG’s statement, Prof. Lale noted that the importance of the transport sector to the economy cannot be overstated; hence the need for continuous collaboration amongst industry stakeholders is pertinent.

Inaugurating the CELTRAS Governing Board, which has Dr. Peterside as Chairman, the VC charged them with the responsibilities of identifying and developing strategies for the growth and development of the centre. He also charged them with developing effective and mutual beneficial relationship with the government and industry players, to contribute to policies that will lead to a robust integrated transport sector to grow the economy.

The new Board consists of members of the academia as well as public and private sector industry practitioners, among them Mallam Ibrahim A. Jibril; Mrs. Lizzie O. Ovbude; Professor Henry Alapiki; Anthonia Okerengwo; Dr. Austine Odili; Mrs. Gladys Emenike; Dr. ACM Kayode Olagunju; Professor Kinikanwo Anele; Mr. Solomon Maram Ishaya; Mr. Aminu Yusuf; Mr. Ekpenyong E. Eke; and Engr. Enya Antioch.

In his acceptance speech, Dr. Peterside pledged the support of all the members of the Board to the development of the centre and assured that they will not fail in delivering their mandate.

According to him, “As it was part of the Centre’s activities to engage in creative work undertaken on a systematic basis in order to increase the stock of knowledge, my team and i would always be favourably disposed to giving our time, skills and all available resources to ensure the sector’s attainment of a remarkable impact via the Centre by making it a reference point in the whole of Africa.”

•Deputy Vice Chancellor, University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT), Professor Fawehimi, DG; NIMASA, Dr. Dakuku Peterside; Vice Chancellor, Professor Ndowa Lale; Acting Director, Centre for Logistics and Transport Studies (CELTRAS), Dr. (Mrs.) Gladys Emenike; and Deputy Vice Chancellor 2, Professor Regina Ogali. during the inauguration of the Governing Board of CELTRAS.

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