Emeka Jilly Ejiowhor
A University Don, Engineer Fynn Chima Ogolo, has called on the Federal Government to indigenize Nigeria Construction Companies, architecture and other professional bodies, to make them rise to the occasion and develop the country.
Engineer Ogolo gave the charge while delivering a lecture titled “Indigenization Of The Nigerian Construction Industry, A Sine Qua Non For The Attainment Of Vision 20-20”, during the annual lecture awards 2011 ceremony organized by Nigeria Society of Engineers, NSE, at Presidential Hotel in Port Harcourt.
According to him, this will go a long way to revolutionize other sectors such as education and skills acquisition which will increase employment and reduce idleness, unemployment and crime in the society.
He further urged the Federal Government to tackle the menace of Boko Haram and al Qaeda threat in the country and consolidate in the Niger Delta Amnesty programme so as to sustain peace in the federation, since development could not take place where there is violence.
Engineer Ogolo who was the former secretary of Nigeria Society of Engineers, (NSE) said the EFCC, ICPC and the Code of Conduct Bureau should be strengthened to have zero tolerance on corruption in the federation.
A former senior lecturer with theKadunastate polytechnic, he further advised the federal government to take issues seriously and allocate more funds into the budget to enable state and local government get fund that would be used in the development of their areas.
Earlier in his speech, the chairman of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, Rivers State branch, Engineer Dr. Asinyetogha Hilkia Igoni, MNSE, noted that the 2011 annual lecture that would be delivered by their colleague, Engineer Fyne Chima Ogolo, the former secretary of the association, would be a contribution to the solution of Nigerian problems to the achievement of the Nigerian dream, describing Engineer Ogolo as accomplished in both engineering and administration.
According to him, “It is important to state that considerably, varieties of the problems in our country are engineering problems and can only respond favourably to engineering solutions. These problems are largely peculiar to us as a people and as a nation and will require drastic confrontation by indigenous engineering to have lasting solutions,”.
He added that it was in this regard that the annual lectures including the 5th annual lecture in 2010 by the NSE, should not be seen as mere hollow ritualistic celebrations, but rather attract substantial consideration to give effect and meaning to their prescriptions, stressing that it was only Nigerian Engineering that can solve Nigerian Engineering problems.
The NSE state chairman who noted that the annual lectures of the association has contributed to engineering solutions, stressed that they have used the occasions to recognize their past chairmen.
According to him, “Those of us who have been following the activities of the branch will recall that as part of giving honour to our past chairmen, we have named the branch secretariat after engineer Ishmael A. Banigo, FNSE, of blessed memory and the main hall of the secretariat after Engineer Prof. Y.O. Beredugo FNSE, among others, stressing that their recognition was not just for achievement as branch chairmen, but also for their continued support for the branch until now”.
He said the branch has acquired new facilities, believing that the executive committee was poised to make new recognitions.
Engineer Tele Ikuru, the Deputy Governor of Rivers State, who was one of the NSE members honoured at the ceremony, while thanking the chairman and those who organized the ceremony, noted that NSE has started a new trend in the association as they have ensured that all given award, accomplish it with cash and promised to accomplish his award with cash, stressing that the NSE has standardized award in Nigeria.
Others who were bestowed award include, Engineer, Prof. Howells Idaerefagha Hart, FNSE, Engineer Bently T.D. George, FNSE, Engineer Kombo Theophilus Johnson, MNSE, Engr. Iboroma Z. S. Akobo, Engr. Precious Keriboye Bob-Manuel, Miss Adanma Chizobam Amaechi, MNSE, Mr. Promise Jumbo, Mrs. Miebaka Nemieboka and 28 others. ####
