Engineers elect Anyaeji as president, seek sustainable infrastructure

Leading the Nigerian Society of Engineers to make impact under this present administration, particularly on matters concerning the nation’s infrastructure is a team of new fellows including the president, Mr. Otis Anyaeji, while Mr. Adekunle Mokuolu and Mrs. Margaret Oguntala were elected as deputy and vice president respectively.

Babalola, Mimiko, others get NSE fellowship
RISING from its Annual General Meeting (AGM) held in Akure, Ondo State, at the weekend, the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) has unveiled the new six member executives that will saddle the affairs of the organisation next year.

To lead the new exco whose tenure commences in January 2016, is Mr. Otis Anyaeji, while Mr. Adekunle Mokuolu and Mrs. Margaret Oguntala were elected as deputy and vice president respectively.

Topical at the event was a call for sustainable infrastructural development in the country, which was said to be pivotal to take the nation to enviable heights.

At a press briefing with in Akure, shortly after the close of the National Engineering Conference, Exhibition and Annual General Meeting held at the International Culture and Events Centre (Dome), the president of NSE, Mr. Ademola Olorunfemi appreciated the Governor of Ondo State, Olusegun Mimiko and others for their support.

Olorunfemi, who urged the government to tackle the infrastructural deficit, said that was sure way to creating millions of jobs for Nigeria’s teeming population.” 

In their 12-point solutions to revamping the nation’s comatose infrastructure, the society governments at all levels should partner with the private sector to develop the capacity of both the institutes and personnel in order to ensure sustainable implementation of NIIMP.

Government at all levels, according to them, should review the enabling environment in order to harmonize conflicting issues such as multiple taxation and encourage the operators, regulators and beneficiaries to key into PPP initiatives and leverage on the funding mechanisms to diversify financing sources in order to drive the NIIMP. 

“The regulatory bodies for tertiary education should partner with professional bodies to review the curricular for the various academic programmes in universities, polytechnics, vocational and technical centers in order to generate the right mix of skilled manpower to execute the different programmes and projects under NIIMP must be given priority.”
 
The engineers said research and development centers should partner with the professionals within the construction industry to deploy the required knowledge and technology in a coordinated manner to drive the NIIMP to meet the set targets in 30 years and aspirations of Nigerians. 

According to them, the academia, professional bodies, regulatory bodies and the industry should foster functional linkages in order to acquire and deploy technology to support the implementation of NIIMP. 

To achieve definite result, the engineers urged the Federal Ministry of Budget and Planning to partner NSE and other relevant professional bodies to integrate quality data generation and sharing in the planning, execution and management of NIIMP programmes and projects.  

“The Federal Ministry of Budget and Planning in partnership with professional bodies and industries to promote the approach of original integration and optimization of resources in the establishment of quality infrastructure for sustainability. The Federal Ministry of Budget and Planning in partnership with NSE and other relevant professional bodies should promote harmonization of National capacity building programmes to ensure enhanced planning, execution and management of major NIIMP programmes and projects.

“The Federal Ministry of Budget and Planning in partnership with NSE and other relevant professional bodies should champion National capacity development and strengthening of public institutions and personnel in both public and private sector in order to enhance infrastructure procurement and management in Nigeria”, they recommended.

They also urged the professional and regulatory bodies as well as the private sector to review module of operandi of engaging professionals in policy formulation programmes, projects development and implementation to address the identified challenges in NIIMP implementation, adding that, definite roles should be defined for NSE in the on-going projects in the power, transportation, agricultural and water resources sectors as well as the general insecurity across the nation. 

Noting that without proper legislation, NSE tasked the professional and regulatory bodies as well as the private sector to advocate for the passage of the legislative bills on relevant issues that can directly impact on planning, execution and implementation of NIIMP programmes and projects handled by the three ties of government. 
 
meanwhile, four individuals including the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, Ondo State Governor, Olusegun Mimiko, Chief Afe Babalola and Chief Innocent Chukwuma, were conferred with honourary fellowship of the society for their trail-blazing hallmarks in providing sustainable infrastructure.

Babalola, who was the keynote speaker, highlighted the pivotal roles of engineering and technology as basis for development. He showcased the 7, 000 capacity multipurpose hall in ABUAD, “which President Jonathan described ‘as an engineering feat because