Secretary to Government of the Federation, George Akume has canvassed for the teaching of Chinese language in elementary schools, adding that, it’s only by so doing that the children can grab the language very well.
The SGF stated this on Wednesday, July 5, when he received 65 Nigerians students that were in 2018 sent to China to study Railway Engineering and other Transportation related courses by China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC) as part of its social corporate responsibility.
Akume, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Economic and Political Affairs, office of the SGF, Esuabana Nko-Asanye, said:
“Let me advised that it will serve more, if the teaching of Chinese language starts from elementary.”
Also speaking, the Ambassador of the Peoples Republic of China to Nigeria and Representative to the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS), Cui Jianchun, extolled their decision to come back and serve the country, noting that this will serve as a good example to younger Nigerians, while admonishing them to use the knowledge and skills acquired to provide the backbone to accelerate the development of a great Nigeria.
In a presentation, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Transportation, Dr. Magdalene Ajani, disclosed that the journey started in 2018 when former President Muhammadu Buhari, introduced an “Advocacy for Enhanced Local Content in Nigeria’s Infrastructure Development based on Nigerian – Chinese Bi-lateral Agreements”
The outcome of the Federal Government’s initiative, Ajani said was taken over by CCECC, accepting to train Nigerians in China as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility, of which they have sustained 100% sponsorship of these Nigerians with other batches still in China acquiring knowledge in various developmental fields.
Futhermore, she expressed the hope that the graduates will contribute towards the current efforts of the Government to revitalise and re-model the railway sub-sector under the 25 years Railway Modernisation Plan by bringing to bear the knowledge acquired in the course of their studies.
She further informed that the Ministry of Transportation supports the policy by engaging them as engineers, technicians through “On the job Training Programmes.”
In his presentation, the Chairman, CCECC, Jason Zhang, said the event is a further testament to greater cooperation between Nigeria and China, expressing the company’s continual commitment to deepen the mutual understanding and bilateral relations.
The high point of the event was the contract signing of employment by the graduates, accepting positions with the CCECC.