The Ogun State Government has called for greater collaboration between academic institutions and the transportation industry to develop skilled professionals and enhance service delivery across the sector.

The Commissioner for Transportation, Olugbenga Dairo, made the appeal on Friday when he received a delegation from the Department of Transportation, Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro, led by the Head of Department, Dr. Ajala Taiwo, at the Ministry’s Conference Room in Abeokuta.

The commissioner stated that the ministry operates a multi-modal transportation system that provides practical learning opportunities for students in transportation-related fields. He mentioned that exposing students to real-world scenarios would help them gain hands-on knowledge and prepare for the demands of the profession.

He stressed that such engagements would allow the Ministry to identify potential talents who could become part of the future workforce. “It is to bridge the gap between theory and practice. We need to synergise the efforts of industry and academia to develop a sustainable and standard transportation system,” Dairo said.

The commissioner, while praising the initiative, encouraged similar partnerships with other institutions nationwide.

In her welcome speech, the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Aderonke Tokunbo-Peters, stated that the visit would include an interactive session with the students and key Ministry officials, which would help deepen their understanding of transportation planning and management in the public sector.

Earlier, the HoD, Dr. Ajala Taiwo, explained that the visit was part of the department’s efforts to expose students to real-world environments and professional mentorship. He mentioned that over 500 students are currently studying Transportation at the institution, but only selected class representatives were brought to the Ministry due to space limitations.

He added that the selected students were expected to share their experiences and insights with their colleagues upon their return.

The student representative, Elegbede Emmanuel, appreciated the present government for creating an enabling environment for transportation professionals to ventilate their experiences, stating the visit would invariably increase their knowledge in transport management.