Engineers plan infrastructure scorecard in Lagos, Ogun

The Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Ikeja branch plans to embark on the second edition of the engineering index and infrastructure scorecard (LSEIISC), which will focus on measures to mitigate flooding and transportation challenges in Lagos and Ogun States.

Chairman of the branch, Mrs Nimot Muili, made this known when she led members to an industrial visit to Afrimedical Manufacturing and Supplies Limited, a subsidiary of Mikano International Limited in Ogun State.

Muili said the initiative, collaboration between the Ikeja branch and other branches of the NSE in Ogun will focus on tackling flooding issues and identifying gaps in road infrastructure in the two states to enhance industrialisation.

Previous efforts by the NSE focused on housing as one of the key issues in Lagos and revealed a shortfall in affordable and social housing provisions, as well as highlighted the need to focus more on bridging the housing provision and maintenance gap. The maiden document was endorsed by the chairmen of Ikeja, Olutosin Ogunmola; Victoria Island, John Audu and Apapa, Christian Ufot, in partnership with Global Property and Facilities International Ltd (GPFI), led by its Group Managing Director, Dr MKO Balogun.

The document noted an increased focus on public-private partnership and housing delivery intervention by the state government; however, it insisted on the need for a long-term strategy to maintain housing estates built by the government.

Muili said the branch is also embarking on an interdisciplinary collaboration with industries, and government/policymakers to ensure the training of engineers, particularly the budding and graduate cadres to boost their competencies. She emphasised the need for practitioners to learn the best global practices.

Receiving the team, the General Manager of Afrimedical, Gabi Alridi, who thanked the engineers for the visit, called for the establishment of universities that focus solely on engineering courses to bridge the theory-practice gap .

He extended job offers to fresh graduate engineers, who are currently serving under the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) upon completion of service, adding that the company needs quality engineers.

Alridi reiterated readiness to collaborate with the NSE Ikeja branch and its Ogun State counterpart to discuss issues concerning road, flooding and provide feasible solutions to them.
According to him, potential collaborations and offering of assistance by NSE will address road infrastructure concerns.

On her part, the Marketing Manager of Afrimedical, Daniella Ayigbe, urged the government to halt the importation of syringes. This, she revealed, will further provide opportunities to train more local engineers and boost large-scale industrialisation.

She said the move will also improve technical capacity, make Nigeria a producing country rather than a consuming nation, and improve the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).