Safeguarding Critical Structures Key To Environment Sustainability- Minister

Nigeria’s Minister of State for Environment, Dr Iziaq Salako says Infrastructure and utilities are physical structures and assets that will provide essential services for Nigeria to enhance its environmental sustainability for the livelihoods of its citizenry.

Dr Salako stated this at the 2023 Nigerian Corrosion Association conference, NICA in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

He said that sustainability and resilience of the critical assets were obligatory
priority for national development planning that would benefit Nigerians.

“I consider this Annual National Conference to be quite apt at this period, when the Nigerian Government is expending humongous resources for the implementation of National Integrated Infrastructure Master Plan (2020-2043), to raise the national infrastructure stock to at least 70.0% by the year 2043, through sustainable blended investments in seven key infrastructure asset classes namely, Transportation, Energy (Power and Oil & Gas), Social Infrastructure, Information & Communications, Technology, Housing, Agriculture, Water & Mining, Security & Vital Registration,” he said.

Dr Salako noted that corrosion has become a worldwide problem and limiting factor for infrastructural development, with disastrous societal and economic consequences.

He said; “Corrosion is regarded as a pernicious process that degrades useful properties of materials and structures, impacts dangerous and expensive damage to oil and  gas critical assets, collapse of bridges, public utilities, cultural relics, buildings, sea-going vessels, process safety incidents, facility shut-downs among others, with attendant loss of capital investments, environmental damage, collapse of social services, burdens of morbidity and mortality, among others.” 

According to him, corrosion is also one of
the major legacy challenges facing Petroleum Refineries and chemical Process Industries globally, some of which have recorded incidental accidents leading to destruction of infrastructures and loss of personnel

“Among these are the Caribbean Petroleum Refining Tank Explosion and Fire Puerto Rico, 2009,Chevron Refinery in Richmond, California (2012) and Bhopal Pesticide Plant, India Incident of 1984, one of the world’s largest industrial disasters, resulting in the ill-fated death of nearly 8,000 people,” the Minister explained.

On his part, the President Nigerian Corrosion Association, Mr Ese Ochoga said the conference aimed to educate and enlighten the society on the best practices in physical assets protection management in improving the GDP, as well as public and environmental safety.

“The theme of our conference this year is an inclusive one, as it hones on the impact of corrosion on the public infrastructure and utilities, which is common to us all,” he said.

Mr. Ochoga noted that the conference would also help present the unique perspective of the materials and corrosion specialist insights and recommendations in managing and maintaining public infrastructures.

He said; “We are here today at the Annual Conference of the Nigerian Corrosion Association, importantly, the corrosion is addressing the issue of building sustainable infrastructure by ensuring that there is corrosion resistant or resilient to corrosion. Corrosion comes from environmental sources and as the environment varies, the corrosion impact also varies some lower and some higher, the corrosion professional is always monitoring this to ensure that infrastructure or structures are viewed to be able to withstand the peculiar environment that is bound to a counter because of his service, that’s why we’re here and the conference is going to address this issue. ”

The Minister of Transportation/Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola said that prevention and control of corrosion cannot be undertaken by the government alone, especially in the face of emerging innovations and advances in technological developments in addressing this phenomenon.

He said; “The significance of this conference in terms of addressing the critical issue of corrosion in building environmentally resilient infrastructures and the need to maintain their integrity over their service life couldn’t have come at a better time as the Nigerian Government intensifies its commitments to expanding public Infrastructures and utilities for improved economic and social development. ”

According to him, “This conference will produce workable and implementable outcomes to address the challenges of corrosion in the development of public infrastructures and utilities in all sectors for the Nation’s benefit.”

The Nigerian Corrosion Association established in 1988 by industry practitioners and academicians, provides opportunities for excelling in the fields of corrosion science and engineering practices.

It also assess and proffer solutions to the interwoven adverse effects of the environment and corrosion on modern civilization.

”Corrosion Control of Public Infrastructures and Utilities,” was the theme of the 2023 Annual National Conference. It was organised by the Nigerian Corrosion Association (NICA) and hosted by Federal Ministry of Environment.

Mercy Chukwudiebere