The government has been advised to show more commitment to the construction sector, considering its important role in the growth of the nation’s economy.
The advice was given by the First Vice President of the Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB), Mr. Kunle Awobodu, at the 2017 annual lecture with the theme “The Role of the Construction Sector in Post-recession Nigeria,” organised by the Property and Environment Writers Association of Nigeria (PEWAN) in Lagos, recently.
Awobodu recommended that local construction companies be given preference in infrastructure development for the nation to have significant economic growth. “Many nation’s development are tied to the construction sector, this sector is the determinant of development in any nation.
“Government should take investments into construction industry serious, recession can re-occur due to our human errors,” he said.
In his presentation, Dr. Meckson Okoro, Founding Partner/Consultant, M.I.Okoro and Associates said foreign construction companies, which usually got all the infrastructure contracts do not use the proceeds to improve the lives of Nigerian citizens because their earnings are repatriated to their home countries, leading to capital flight from the nation.
Chief Okoro commended PEWAN members for setting agenda on issues of growth in the construction industry in the nation.
He however lamented the absence of the representatives of the Lagos State and Federal Government at the event urging journalists to exert themselves to ensure things were done right in the construction sector.Â
He however lamented the absence of the representatives of the Lagos State and Federal Government at the event urging journalists to exert themselves to ensure things were done right in the construction sector.Â
The President of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Mr Otis Anyaeji represented by the Ikeja Branch Chairman of the society, Mr Akintayo Akintola lamented that most projects in the nation have become ‘processes’ because of lack of adherence to completion dates.
Anyaeji said conditions for award of contacts were usually deliberately made difficult to eliminate local engineers, which makes nonsense of the Local Content Law designed to make possible the participation of indigenous engineers.
He advised students of Technical College, Agindingbi who were in attendance to distinguish themselves in the various crafts they were learning to fill the middle cadre manpower gap being taken over by artisans from neighbouring African countries.
“I believe most of you can be the best we are looking for, be an expert where you are,” he said.
Anyaeji said conditions for award of contacts were usually deliberately made difficult to eliminate local engineers, which makes nonsense of the Local Content Law designed to make possible the participation of indigenous engineers.
He advised students of Technical College, Agindingbi who were in attendance to distinguish themselves in the various crafts they were learning to fill the middle cadre manpower gap being taken over by artisans from neighbouring African countries.
“I believe most of you can be the best we are looking for, be an expert where you are,” he said.
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi was represented at the lecture by Oba Adetokunbo Awosunle and Oba Adebanjo Adedinni. Other dignitaries at the event included, Mr Tunde Zedomi, a fellow and elder of NSE, Lagos Chairman of Nigerian Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Mrs Funmi Akingbagbohun, representatives of Building Collapse Prevention Guild, among other distinguished personalities.
