CCECC Nigeria Limited has employed about 200 young Nigerian graduates from Chang'an University in Xian, Shaanxi province. The graduates, who benefitted from the Republic of China's sponsorship to pursue Transportation Engineering and other courses that are related, inaugurated new staff at the company. The move was sealed when an Intentional Employment Agreement was signed between the parties with its ceremony hosted in Abuja, Nigeria's capital.
In the opening ceremony, Jason Zhang, Chairman of CCECC Nigeria Limited, expressed that the scheme was of paramount importance to CCECC as a means of Corporate Social Responsibility and a commitment toward ensuring Sino-Nigerian relations. He emphasized the need for education toward nation-building and expressed confidence that the graduates' intellectual development would be very instrumental for both CCECC and Nigeria.
"This moment means so much and is in itself one of great joy and immense pride for all of us who constitute a part of their hard work and how selflessly CCECC, the government, the university has helped them achieve this milepost. Their journey reflects a quest for knowledge, growth, and cultural exchange which we believe will be extremely important for our collective progress", opined Zhang.
Since the initiative was launched in 2018, 190 students majoring in engineering now have the opportunity to fill a grossly inadequate skill pool in the country. In his speech, he said such sponsorship set the tone for the company's vision at CCECC, which focused on promoting development in society through technical expertise transfer and full industrial chain cooperation.
A giant in the construction field, since 1981 CCECC has made giant strides in spreading its presence for infrastructure development in Nigeria. It constructed railways, highways, bridges, and airports in this nation and offered strong support to Nigerian ministries and states in very close cooperation.
Mr. David Wang, Managing Director of CCECC, drove home the stand of the firm on corporate social responsibility and commended the graduands for making it as far as they did, further strengthening the bond of international cooperation between Nigeria, CCECC, and Chang'an University. He went on particularly to harp on how such a very long-standing collaboration had made a sea change in young Nigerian lives.
At the opening ceremony, Sa'id Alkali, Nigeria's Minister of Transportation, delivered a keynote address on the strategic relevance of skilled manpower to the sustainability of the railway project in the country. He said the government had been supportive of indigenous participation, particularly with policies like the National Local Content Policy on Railway development, which enhances local capability for the delivery of infrastructural projects. Mamman Mustapha, a graduate from Borno State, described the challenges of studying in China but showed his appreciation for the opportunity to represent Nigeria abroad. He requested that the Federal Government do more for these underprivileged youths by providing vocational training centers so that they would have opportunities that would make them add value to society.
This event epitomizes the fact that Nigeria is serious about using her international partnership to grow her transport sector for economic growth. With far-reaching reforms already underway, suited toward integration of skills in the different fields of transportation management and logistics, the country can compete at the global stage with enhanced infrastructure and corresponding economic competitiveness.
The tripartite arrangement between CCECC, Nigeria, and Chang'an University, China, exemplifies mutual benefits accruable to international educational exchanges and underscores their transformative effects on national development agendas. With Nigeria currently strengthening its infrastructure backbone, such programs are bound to form a mainstay in its drive toward sustainable economic growth and development.
To Mamman Mustapha and his ilk of graduates, this is a journey that not only showcases personal achievement but also the will to meanfully contribute towards the future of Nigeria with newfound expertise in transportation engineering.
