In order for there to be development and progress in Nigeria, the government has to engage professionals in every sector to develop policies and solutions.
The President of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, NSE, Tasiu Sa’ad Gidari-Wudil stated this at a press briefing in Abuja.
Mr. Gidari-Wudil explained that the NSE has the best minds in engineering in Nigeria therefore, to resolve issues in the manufacturing and infrastructure sector, the Society needs to be fully involved.
“We have been sending all our communique to government and only few of those communiques were given attention. We have done our own part and given advice, there is nothing else we can do, it is now the government. Only a responsible government believes in its own professionals that will come to us.
“If really any government wants technological development of this country, they should pay attention to us.
“We have committee on steel, we have all the brains that you can think of on steel manufacturing. Government keeps doing policies for Ajaokuta Steel but the people they put to make the policies you’ll be surprised, they never put Nigerian Society of Engineers as a member, this is a challenge tobthe Minister of Solid Minerals, to this government. You do policies on steel, you don’t involve engineers, please forget it, you can’t go anywhere. If government is ready and serious with Ajaokuta Steel, let them involve Nigerian Engineers,“ Gidari-Wudil said.
Mr. Gidari-Wudil further revealed details of the forthcoming flagship event of the Nigerian Society of Engineers which is the National Engineering Conference, Exhibition and Annual General Meeting.
Date: Monday, November 27 – Friday, December 1, 2023
Venue: Africa Hall, International Conference Centre, Abuja
Time: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm daily
The theme of this year’s Conference is “Re-Engineering the Manufacturing Sector for Competitiveness and Enhanced Economic Growth.“
According to the NSE President, this theme was selected to address and proffer solutions to challenges in the Manufacturing Sector which he says is shutting down.
“The theme of the conference was informed by the continuing decline of activities in the manufacturing space of Nigeria’s economy. Nigerian Engineers are concerned about the gradual erosion of the little record Nigeria had on her non-oil export performance in the 60s and 70s.
“Many international conglomerates that bolstered the manufacturing sector of Nigeria’s economy at some points have folded up their businesses and left. We can name them – Volkswagen, Michelin, Procter & Gamble, ISO Glass, Universal Steel, Universal Rubber, NASCO Fibre, GSK Pharma, Tower Aluminuim, etc. Many more may go. The reasons for the gloomy situation are not far-fetched, they range from unfavourable and inconsistent government policies such as unstable foreign exchange regime, hostile import licensing policies, unavailability of constant power, rising cost of alternate energy supply, amongst many others,“ Gidari-Wudil said.
He said the Society is collaborating with the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation to organise the conference.
The NSE President added that the Nigerian President, the Vice President, some governors, Ministers among others have been invited to the event.
He added that a communique will be released containing recommendations after the conference and it will be sent to the Nigerian President.
The NSE President however noted that the Society is a non-profit non-governmental organisation and do not have the powers to enforce any resolution reached at the conference.
Also speaking on the ongoing controversial issue of the use of Asphalt or Concrete to build Nigerian roads, Mr. Gidari-Wudil revealed that the Society has asked two units namely the Nigerian Institution of Civil Engineers and the Nigerian Institution of Highway and Transportation Engineers to come up with recommendations on the use of Asphalt and Concrete.
He said their position on the matter will depend on the recommendations of these units which will be released soon to the public.
