The Director General, Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology (NITT), Zaria, Dr. Bayero Salih-Farah, has appealed to the Federal Government for the provision of more land for the institute’s expansion.

As part of efforts to help the institute fulfil its mandate in the transport sector of the economy, he also urged the government to assist the institute with alternative and more reliable sources of funding to complete ongoing projects.

Salih-Farah made the appeal while receiving the Minister of Transportation, Muazu Sambo, who was on familiarisation visit to the institute.

According to him, NITT is facing shortage of land at its headquarters in Zaria, adding that the 27-hectare space housing the institute is used up, thus making it challenging for expansion.

Considering the minister’s visit as a boost for NITT, the DG added: “The institute has some challenges, namely, budgetary constraints and the need to strengthen our legal instruments to keep pace with the current realities in the industry and play the leading role in driving research, training and technology innovation in the industry, among other challenges.”

“In view of the enormous tasks before the institute and to fully deliver our mandate to the transport sector and the Nigerian economy, we are appealing to the minister to assist the institute with alternative and more reliable sources of funding. He should also kindly assist in the area of land for expansion.”

However, the DG said the institute is complementing the effort of the present administration in exiting the petrol subsidy regime through the provision of alternative energy sources to the transport sector.

“The institute is in talks with the National Gas Expansion Programme (NGEP) Committee to provide the technical manpower for engineering the process of converting fossil fuel-driven vehicles in Nigeria to using either Compressed National Gas (CNG) or Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), as well as championing the call for local production of conversion kits in this regard. The institute has no equipment and facilities to achieve this.

“Its Human Capital Development Programme for staff is also being given priority attention. Many staffers are studying for higher degrees in many institutions in Nigeria and other countries of the world in this regard. This is deliberately designed to improve our resources and build adequate capacity to deliver on our mandate,” he added.