Discussions are also underway between the two entities to establish a centre for research and construct office accommodation for lecturers of the course on the school premises.

The President of the CILT, Mr G.D Mensah, stated this at an orientation at GIMPA for the sixth batch of students who have enrolled at the school for international diplomas in transport and logistics.

He added that a CILT professional programme for the oil and gas sector was also in the process of being introduced by the school to train Ghanaians to participate meaningfully in the sector.

Mr Mensah said transportation played a connective role among the many steps that resulted in the conversion of resources into useful goods for the ultimate consumers.

"It is the planning of all these functions and sub-functions into a system of goods movement in order to minimize cost and maximise service to the consumer that constitutes the concept of business logistics,'' he said.

For industries, he said, logistics helped to optimize the existing production and distribution processes based on the same resources through management techniques for promoting the efficiency and competitiveness of enterprises.

The key element in the logistics chain, he added, was the transportation system which joined the separate activities.

The importance of transport and logistics in the Ghanaians economy, he said, called for their advancement and promotion in higher institutions of learning in the country.

Without well developed transportation systems, Mr Mensah said logistics could not bring its advantage into full play. He added that improvement in transportation system needed the efforts from both public and private sectors.

The Deputy Rector of GIMPA, Dr Nii Noi Asong, said transportation and logistics were professional undertakings which required training, hence the establishment of the course at the school.

He described GIMPA as an institution with the requisite facilities and conducive atmosphere for studies and encouraged the students to study hard.