Engineers seek more funding for nation’s infrastructure

Professional engineers have called on government to commit more funds to the nation’s infrastructural development to deepen local participation and job creations.

According to them, Nigerian Local Content Act popularly called “NOGICD Act 2010” was a major change agent for engineering design by increasing the domiciliation of engineering to over 55per cent from 5 per cent.

Speaking at a forum in Lagos organised by the Victoria Island Chapter of Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) in collaboration with Deltaafrik Engineering Limited, Bayelsa State Commissioner for Trade, Industry and Investment, Kemela Okara said for additional localised participation to be recorded, particularly in the oil and gas and engineering sector, government must create an enabling environment for businesses to thrive.

This, he said, could be done by providing constant power supply, making loans available for local companies to invest in projects that commands huge financial resources and setting up of industrial parks that would boost the capacity of engineers.

He noted that while ready-made business environment would encourage innovations, there is need for close synergy between business operators, professionals, funding institution and the different levels of government in entrenching local content.

Chairman of the Branch, Abdul Rasheed Moyosore, who spoke on the theme: “National Content: Achievement, Challenges and Sustainability in the context of dwindling oil Price”, stressed the need to encourage Nigeria engineers on the fact that oil and gas sector is not on the lifeline despite surge in revenues from other sectors with abounding business opportunities.

Contributing, the Executive Secretary of Nigerian Content Division Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Simbi Wabote said the body is currently pushing an agenda for robust knowledge transfer through integrated engineering team comprising Nigeria engineering firms and their international partners for improved local capacity and participation in the nation’s development.

Represented by the Director of Monitoring and Evaluation, Mr.Tunde Adelana, he said the opportunities will  materialised when the agency will published a compendium of opportunities currently existing by the end of May 2017.

On his part, Head of Content, Learning and Development, Deltaafrik Engineering Limited, Afolabi Davidson posited that Nigeria needs to localise its manufacturing capacity through deliberate focus on knowledge transfer to sustain industrialisation in a meaningful way.