December 16, (THEWILL) – The Chairman/CEO of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has said more investment should be targeted at capacity-building to grow, bolster the Nigerian economy and promote brain circulation.
The NiDCOM Chairman stated this at a strategic meeting with Dr Toks Omishakin, the Secretary, California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA), in Abuja. She emphasised the importance of knowledge transfer and skill development in driving economic growth.
A statement by Gabriel Odu of the Media l Public Relations and Protocols Unit said that the NiDCOM Boss highlighted the need for training programmes to equip Nigerians with the technical know-how, necessary to improve efficiency and productivity in the transportation sector.
The NiDCOM Boss further stated that educating the public will enable them to become environmentally conscious and find ways to promote activities that protect the planet. She suggested that the California Transport Secretary include more key actors such as the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), on research, training and capacity.
Dabiri-Erewa also praised Dr Omishakin for using his position for the common good of all, which is a Nigerian core value, and assured him of future collaboration with the Commission.
Dr Toks Omishakin expressed his general concern about air quality, which is affected by pollution and other environmental factors.
According to him, transport activities contribute a great share to environmental and air pollution which has a significant impact on the population’s health.
Omishakin stated that CalSTA seeks a collaboration that aims to foster stronger ties between Nigeria and California, by leveraging the expertise and influence of the Nigerian diaspora in the US, through infrastructure development, economic development and knowledge/skill transfer.
With Africa as their latest addition, he expressed CalSTA’s commitment to investing in sectors such as technology, energy, and green jobs, and highlighted the potential for collaboration with Nigerian tertiary institutions, like the University of Lagos, to develop advanced training programmes for students.
In addition, he informed that CalSTA is ready to invest in Nigerian states with strong investment sectors that are viable in California.
Dr Aditya Ramji, Director, Global South Clean Transportation Center and part of the delegation, agreed that training is vital to ensure local capability in promoting climate actions among the youth.
Dr Ramji noted that the training programme will focus on providing Master’s and PhD students with the knowledge and skills needed to address the challenges facing Nigeria’s transportation sector.
The California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA) is a state cabinet-level agency that develops and coordinates transportation policies and programmes for California, to ensure safe, sustainable, convenient and affordable transportation for its citizens.
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