The Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) has called for the full implementation of the presidential executive order 5 for the Planning and Execution of Projects and Promotion of Nigerian Content in Contracts and Science in Nigeria.
The President of the Society, Engineer Gidari Wudil Tasiu-Sa’ad, made the call in,Abuja, the nation’s capital, at press conference held in commemoration of the 2023 World Engineering Day themed “Engineering Innovations for a More Resilient World”.
According to him“In line with the theme for this year’s celebration. The Nigerian Society of Engineers is setting a model for Engineering Innovation and as such is currently executing the SMART OFFICE PROJECT. This project comprises of an Innovation Hub; Automation and Engineering Lab; AI/IoT Hub; Virtual Offices, SMART Physical offices, E-library and Training facilities.
This project will create an enabling environment for Innovations; Research and Development; Product Development; Entrepreneurship and Business Development and ease of doing business for Engineers and other stakeholders.
We are equally collaborating and in partnership with other stakeholders with mutual interest. Some of which include: Innov8 Technology Hub; Automation and Engineering Academy; td4pai IoT Hub and more to come.”
Wudil said, they have noticed over the years that certain critical sections of the Executive Order are not being fully implemented.
He however, pointed out that Section 7(2) of the Order named “Database of Experts” states that: “The Ministry of Interior shall take into consideration the manpower database of NOTAP, Federal ministry of Science and Technology, Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, the Nigerian Academy of Science, the Nigerian Academy of Engineering, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources, etc, in determining the availability of local skilled manpower in Science, Technology and Innovation for the grant of expatriate quota.
Also, Section 8(1) named “Expatriate Quota” states that: “The Ministry of Interior shall ensure that Expatriate Quota for projects, contracts and programmes are granted in line with the provisions of the Immigration Act and other relevant laws, where qualifications and competence of Nigerian Nationals are not available or cannot be ascertained, which shall be contingent on training such number of persons as may be required for the execution of the contract or project.
“Unfortunately, our checks have revealed that despite the abundance of databases for Engineers, Technologists and Artisans in Nigeria, what we find in many construction sites across the country are expatriates of equal qualifications, and some even without skills at all. We do not find this acceptable,” he stressed.
He said he led a delegation of some Past Presidents and Executives of the society on a visit to the Minister of Interior and had drawn his attention to the anomaly and stressed the need for those sections of the PEO 5 to be implemented to the latter.
“The Hon. Minister has given us assurance on positive actions in that regard,” he added.
On the issue of building collapse, Engineer Wudil disclosed that the Association has activated its in-house Standing Committee on Failure Investigation and Analysis in order to lend efforts towards providing a more dispassionate, balanced and objective inquiry on the entire process of design, compliance enforcement, execution and approvals.
He expressed dismay over the recent collapse of a 3-storey building on 6th Avenue in Gwarinpa District of Abuja describing the incident as unfortunate which resulted in deaths and maiming of innocent Nigerians.
“It is the NSE’s well-considered view that henceforth, a determined precedence should be set for deterrence and as part of the healing balm for victims of this disaster by fully implementing the reports of the investigations. To that effect, the government must invoke the appropriate laws against anyone found culpable directly or indirectly. Only such strong measures will ensure that the yawning gaps of effective engineering practice regulation and bureaucratic incompetence in enforcing compliance are bridged, thereby preventing future deaths and injuries,” he added.
Recall that on February 2, 2018, President Muhammadu Buhari signed the Presidential Executive Order No. 5.
