Chinelo Obogo
The Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, has defended President Muhammadu Buhari’s decision to cite the University of Transportation in his hometown of Daura, Katsina State.
In a statement, Onu said that the recent groundbreaking ceremony of the University shows that the Executive Order No 5 which was signed on February 2, 2018 by President Buhari for the planning and execution of projects is working.
Buhari and the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, recently came under fire for the government’s decision to cite the proposed University of Transportation in Daura as the minister admitted he coerced a Chinese firm to construct the university in Buhari’s hometown.
But Onu defended the decision, saying it is ‘heartwarming’ that with Executive Order No. 5, appropriate measures are being put in place ‘to ensure that what happened in the past will not repeat itself in the future so as to ensure that the rail system across the country will be properly managed with indigenous manpower.’
“Executive Order No. 5 marks a revolutionary effort that will help move Nigeria toward developing the necessary local human capital she badly needs to fight poverty, create jobs, strengthens local manpower development, encourages indigenous technology capacity, enhances national self-reliance and thereby significantly restore our national pride.
“It is against this background that the recent groundbreaking ceremony of the University of Transportation in Daura, Katsina State, by President Muhammadu Buhari, shows that indeed the Executive Order No 5 is working.
“This is better appreciated when we remember that 60 years ago, the rail system was operational as a means of public transportation. It is sad that for a very long time, the rail system became inoperative because we lacked the indigenous capacity to even maintain the system. It is indeed heartwarming that with Executive Order No. 5, appropriate measures are being put in place to ensure that what happened in the past will not repeat itself in the future so as to ensure that the rail system across the country will be properly managed with indigenous manpower,” Onu said.