Engineers urged to accelerate Nigeria’s industrialisation

Engineers have been advised to harness potential of their members for the benefit of the manufacturing sector. They were also told to reduce dependence on imports, retain capital in Nigeria and help the nation achieve the production of locally made goods for consumption.

The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, led the call at the investiture of the national chairman of the Nigerian Institution of Mechanical Engineers (NIMechE), Dr. Olufunmilade Akingbabohun in Abuja.

He said the move will help to increase the nation’s self-dependence regarding producing what the people need. Represented by the Minister of State for Works and Housing, Mu’Azu Sambo, Fashola said engineers have what it takes to move the nation to its desired destination.

“Apart from many other capacities that mechanical engineers possess, i like to reiterate their capacity to use tools to design and analyse manufacturing plants, industrial equipment and machinery.

“Everywhere you see a tool, from machines to computers, to vehicles and aircraft, bulldozers, cranes, caterpillars and others. Without their input, along with those of other engineering and science disciplines, the human civilisation will perhaps be in the stone era,” he said.

He said that the inauguration must represent the beginning of a new dawn for the practice of mechanical engineering in the country.

He added: “Our road to prosperity and comfort is already being built through the policies of the Muhammadu Buhari administration, especially through an unprecedented investment in infrastructure, ranging from digital communication capacity, expansion to rail, roads, bridges, airports and others. If we do not have choices in the quantity and quality of infrastructure available to pursue our legitimate aspirations, we will have an unwelcome relationship with poverty,” he said.

“Currently, we are managing over 1,000 contracts of roads and bridges construction and rehabilitation covering over 13,000 kilometres. This is an unprecedented undertaking in our national history and it is being taken on at a time where there was recession and dwindling national income.”

Akingbagbohun said: “We will make visible contributions to create solutions, address certain development challenges in rural and urban areas.”

The new chairman assured that the institution would focus on research and innovation.The guest speaker, George Okoyo, said that engineering is a great impact to the world; from designing roads to developing smart phones and changing the society collect and store energy.

According to him, with engineering principles in mind, city planners and architect are looking towards the advent of smart cities, where wastes and pollution will be reduced.