NSE, others task FG, states on local engineering manpower

The Nigerian Institution of Mechanical Engineers (NIMechE) has urged the federal and state governments, as well as other stakeholders to patronise and improve indigenous engineers’ manpower in the country.

It also advised citizens to patronise made in Nigeria products to engender mass employment and economic growth. Former governor of Ogun State, Gbenga Daniel, led the appeal at the 2023 Mechanical Engineering Distinguished Lecture entitled: “Engineering: Panacea for Development and Massive Employment Generation in Nigeria” in Lagos.

Daniel argued that engaging local capacity in critical engineering and infrastructure project development is a potential measure to curb capital flight and improve overall performance of the economy.

Daniel, who doubles as the Senator representing Ogun East Senatorial District in the National Assembly, emphasised that engineering was the bedrock of development; hence, local engineers must be given opportunities to curb capital flight and grow the economy. He challenged the country’s leaders and citizens to patronise made in Nigeria goods, which he said, will enhance economic growth.

Specifically, he noted that local engineers must be given the opportunity to handle major projects instead of always importing expatriates and depriving home-grown experts the opportunity to grow their capacity.

He warned that if urgent measures were not taken in that regard, the underdevelopment of the country, including in critical sectors like roads, would continue for the next 2,000 years.

Daniel lamented that local engineers were being robbed of the opportunity to grow their capacity because citizens had developed the appetite for foreign goods, thereby discouraging manufacturing.

He said raw materials such as hide and skin sourced from Kano and other states, were processed abroad with the finished products and imported back to the country for Nigerians to buy at exorbitant prices.

The former governor said: “We have unlimited capacity that you can hardly imagine. We tend to underestimate our capacity. We have capacity, in all areas, and for our country to grow, we must patronise local products.”

Daniel said several missed opportunities in the automobile industry and several other sectors, must be recreated, adding that if there had been consistency in maintaining the growth in the automobile industry recorded in the past, by now Nigeria would have been able to service 90 per cent of its local needs.

He, therefore, charged governments at all levels to embark on a massive infrastructure drive as infrastructure delivery would create several jobs in addition to platforms for economic progress.

The lawmaker, who was among the awardees at the event called for collaboration between the government, academia, industry and other stakeholders towards reversing the missed opportunity trends for economic growth.

President, Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Mr. Tasiu Gidari-Wudil, represented by a fellow of the society, Agoro Ademola, called for continuous capacity building for local engineers.

On what the society is doing in that regard, he said: “We have commenced the automation of the NSE secretariat operations, for ease of doing business and transparency with the view to bringing forth the principles and applications of smart office. This is to encourage innovation and entrepreneurship, research and development for job creation.”

The National Chairman, NIMechE, Mrs. Olufunmilade Akingbagbohun, disclosed that the association was partnering with various organisations to tackle unemployment.

To fully realise the potential of local engineers for development, Akingbagbohun said collaboration between the government, academia and industries is imperative.

She called for policies that support research and development, as well as strategic investments in infrastructure projects, which will create an ecosystem conducive to innovation and economic growth.