Accra, May 17, GNA - The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) and the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) has opened an International Certificate Programme in Logistics and Transport, to offer skill training for professionals in the West Africa Sub-region.

The programme, which would start in September, was launched on Monday to create an excellent opportunity for more professionals in Ghana to expand their knowledge and skills in transport and logistics. Mr Emmanuel Adjei Boye, Deputy Minister Roads and Transport, said there was the absence of a more accessible and reputable training institution, which could provide the basic and advance knowledge for the various managerial levels in the transport and logistics. That factor has led to the poor state of the transport and logistics industry.

He stated that the growth and development of any economy largely depended upon the efficient and effective movement of people, goods and services and thus the role of an efficient transport towards this objective could not be downplayed.

Mr Adjei Boye mentioned instances where promising transport organisations such as the Omnibus Services Authority (OSA) and many other private transport companies collapsed due to poor managerial skills.

Government was aware of the pitfalls of the previous operational arrangement of OSA and had resolved not to commit the mistakes of the past.

He said the present Metro Mass Transit (MMT) Company had, therefore, been structured on sound management practices to provide mass transit to commuters in the metropolitan and principal areas of the country.

The Government would ensure that the managerial and operational staff of the MMT benefited from the opportunity created by the joint effort of CILT and GIMPA, he said.

Mr Adjei-Boyed urged all logistics and transport organisations to take advantage of the training and sponsor their staff to improve upon their knowledge for the benefit of their companies.

Mr Edward Richard Dwomoh, Board Chairman, Ghana Airways, who launched the programme, said the nation could only move forward if professionals including those in the logistics and transport arena began to do things in line with modern management practices and with the kind of skills that matched current technology.

He urged the Ministry and the Institute to closely collaborate to ensure that the transport and logistics industry developed in line with current management practices and technology.

Mr Ransford Akai, President, CILT Ghana, said the programme was an international one that aimed at providing its members with career continuity.

He appealed to the Ministry of Education to develop keen interest in transport and logistics issues by introducing them into the school curriculum so that the basics of quality management skills were formed from the basic school levels. 17 May 04