The Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE),Umuahia Branch, Abia State,has called on federal and state governments to partner with the NSE to build engineering centres in all the States,where engineers will be trained and retrained.
NSE Chairman, Engr Cyprian Nwasuka
The Society of Engineers opined that technical designs and construction of key infrastructure should be handed back to the professionals, stating that quacks should be denied the mischief of destroying our infrastructure.
Delivery his address at the Formal Inauguration ceremony as the 10th Branch Chairman of the NSE, Engr. Nnamdi Cyprian Nwasuka, lamented that the nation is faced with horrendous decline in infrastructure and wondered how an effective and sustainable infrastructural development in Nigeria could be achieved in the light of obvious institutional weaknesses and global economic recession.
New Officers of NSE Umuahia Branch
Nwasuka suggested an inauguration of a high powered think tank, made up of seasoned professionals and diplomats, to intensify international engagements, with the aim to mitigate the infrastructural deficit which is currently the bane of development in Nigeria.
He said the high powered team would also provide a solid platform that will birth a dependable strategy to scale up more participation by international donor agencies like the World Bank, African Development bank, AfDB among others.
The new installed Branch Chairman of NSE, said the government should provide a master plan for the rehabilitation and maintenance of infrastructure assets, adding that there should be an intentional, high level and evenly spread regional discussions on sustainable infrastructure policy in Nigeria,as well as, funding for the maintenance of these infrastructure must be streamlined, while adequate budgetary provisions should be allowed.
Nwasuka further maintained that infrastructural based government ministries, parastatals and agencies like Ministry of Works, Ministry of Housing, Ministry of Public Utilities and Water Resources among others, should be headed only by professional engineers.
He added that the Media and the National Orientation Agency, should scale up the responsibility of the orientation and reorientation of the populace on how not to abuse public infrastructure, stating that citizens must be made to realize that the drains must be desilted regularly, while other abuses like disposing wastes into the drains should be penalised”.
Nwasuka, however, stated that infrastructure plays critical role in the economy of any nation, as the bedrock for a veritable private sector growth and key contributor to a conducive business environment .
“Policy actions and investment in Infrastructure is a pivotal enabler of regional integration.An investment in infrastructure is a trigger to agricultural advancement vis-a-vis human development, efficient health delivery, as well as,education services especially to the poor”.
He passionately appealed to the Governor of the state, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu to give NSE Umuahia branch a suitable land for a well-equipped engineering centre in Umuahia, commending him for the uncommon achievements recorded in Abia state, especially, on the quality of the roads he has thus far delivered.
Earlier, in his valedictory speech, the immediate past Chairman of NSE,Umuahia branch, Engr. Uzoma Ohia, described the theme of the 2021 inauguration tagged “Effective and Sustainable Infrastructural Development in Nigeria: The Way Forward” as quite apt and essentially what, “Our country needs now even as we continue to recover from the unfortunate impacts of the covid-19 pandemic on world infrastructure among others”.
Ohia who also went down memory lane to recall the challenges faced by his administration and successes it recorded within the period under review, said, “On the 27th of November, 2019, during my inauguration as the 9th Chairman of NSE Umuahia Branch, I stated that ‘the branch will pursue vigorously the objectives of the society which are to promote the advancement of engineering education, research and practice in all its ramifications’. These are to greatly contribute in maintaining and enhancing the professional capacities of members to further equip them in fulfilling the needs of our noble profession for the good of all in a changing world. Sequel to this, various standing committees were constituted with specific terms of reference, to help the branch in actualising the objectives of the society within our catchment areas”.
In an interview, the Vice President of NSE, Engr Edith Eshidi, lamented how the engineering space has been flooded with untrained individuals, stating that if she is elected as the President of the Society, she would make the profession beautiful.
Vice President,NSE,Engr Edith Ishidi
She, however, called on the Abia state government to brace up to the challenge of revamping the various infrastructure in the state.
Also,the Special Adviser and Acting Executive Secretary of Abians In Diaspora Commission(ADCOM), Dr Ngozi Ogbonna-Erondu, praised the NSE for the feat so far recorded, intimating that Abians living in diaspora are also doing alot to reposition the state, particularly on the area of investment.
The event which featured the inauguration of the new executive committee members, induction of new members and award ceremony, had the Governor of the state,Okezie Ikpeazu being honoured for his Indigenous Human Capacity Building And Local Entrepreneurship Development in Abia, while the Senator representing Abia South Zone,Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe was honoured for an Effective Legislation And Support for Local Content Development.
Other Awardees were the wife of the Governor, Deaconess Nkechi Ikpeazu, the Speaker of Abia State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Chinedum Orji, Hon Solomon Adaelu,Engr Enyinnaya Chima Nwafor,Engr Izuchukwu Joshua Onwughara who was honoured for his Human Capacity Development And Project Implementation, among other awardees.
In an interview with the Abia NEWMAP Coordinator, Engr Izuchukwu Onwughara,he blamed the incessant building collapse in Nigeria on structural design,sub standard materials, the use of unprofessionals to man building sites.While appreciating the Nigerian Society of Engineers for the honour done him, called for Engineers to be duly engaged in all construction works.
NEWMAP Coordinator,Engr Izuchukwu Onwughara
Among the new inductees into the Nigerian Society of Engineers,is Engr John Emmanuel Onyebuchi,who pledged his loyalty to the association,said as a new member of NSE,he would ensure all building projects he is handling are done according to specification, urging government to intervene speeding to put to a stop, the spate of building collapse in the country.
The ceremony which witnessed past chairmen of NSE Umuahia branch, Engr. Rich Onyeaso FNSE, Engr Chief L.O Eleke MNSE. Engr. Hon. Matthew Ibeh, MNSE, Engr. Shedrach Iweha; Engr. Victor Ihediwa; Engr. Nelson Onwuka in attendance, had Prof. Onyemachi M. Ogbulu, Vice Chancellor, Abia State University Uturu, ABSU represented by the Dean Faculty of Engineering, Engr. Prof. E.E. Anyanwu FNSE, Dr. Ngozi Ogbonna-Erondu, Special Adviser and Acting Executive Secretary ADCOM; Chief Dr. Isaac Ogbonna, JP (former Executive Chairman, Obingwa LGA); Engr. Iroakazi (Represensative of the NSE President); Hon. Victor Nwakanma, Sole Administrator, Abia Comet Football Club; Prof. S.I Onwuchekwa, Director, IDEA, ABSU; Elder (Hon) Ezebunwa Ubani, Ph.D (Chairman Physical Planning and Infrastructural Development Fund; Engr. Rev. Mba Nkuma Emea MNSE (Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Industries, Abia State); Engr. Edith Y. Ishidi, Ph.D, FNSE ( former V.P NSE); Engr. Okechukwu Eluwa MNSE( LNG Bonny); Engr. B.U Obioha FNSE, FNICE(Comptroller, Federal Ministries of Work, Abia State); Chairmen of NSE, Aba and Orlu Branch among others.
