Jonathan Urges Nigerian Engineers to Weed Out Quacks

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has urged the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) to continue to protect the integrity of the profession by purging the group of quackery.

Speaking in Abuja at the opening ceremony of the 2021 National Engineering Conference, Exhibition and Annual General Meeting, Jonathan stated that while he had no doubt that the group was capable of elevating the task of building the nation, impostors must be weeded out.

Beyond getting a degree in engineering, Jonathan who was represented by his former Chief of Staff, Mike Oghiadomhe, urged practitioners of the profession to develop their passions and competencies.

He lauded the NSE for honouring those who have contributed to the growth of engineering in the country, expressing the belief that it will encourage others who have interest in the profession to play their roles.

The former president stated that the work of developing and standardising infrastructure which the leadership of the engineering society had been doing must be acknowledged.

“I urge you to continue to guard jealously the integrity of this profession to prevent cases of quackery,” he stated.

Also speaking, an engineer, businessman and former presidential aspirant, Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, urged the president of the society to look into the issue of collapse of buildings nationwide.

He stated that the engineering code may need to be reworked to reflect the exigencies of the times, stating that if care is not taken, more high-rise buildings will continue to crumble.

On the political side, he argued that if the minister of justice is a lawyer and the health minister is a medical doctor, then the minister of engineering-related ministries must be manned by practicing engineers.

President of the NSE, Mr. Babagana Mohammed, said the selected theme for the 2021 conference “Expansion of the Energy Mix for National Economic Growth”, was hinged on the quest for clean energy that has taken the centre stage in the affairs of nations all over the world.

“ Nigeria is still largely relying on hydro-carbon fuels as sources of energy, with the hazardous effects that they bring, the developed nations have moved on to the future, with clean, renewable energy.

“The NSE at different advocacy forums over the years, has consistently clamoured for more cohesive coordination and transparency in the transformation of the energy sector. It gladdens my heart to see that steps are being taken at different levels to galvanise efforts towards the achievement of that goal in Nigeria,” he stated.

Speaking about his achievements in office, the outgoing president listed the society’s contribution to the proposed amendment to the 1999 constitution and constitution of a lobby group towards achieving passage of all pending engineering bills in the national assembly as some of the highpoints.

“As we speak, the Road Sector Reform Bills have been passed and transmitted to the President and Commander-in-Chief for his assent. The NSE has also prepared a memorandum and is awaiting a date for the public hearing on the bill for the amendment of the Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute Act, for presentation to the senate,” he added.