Amaechi Challenges Nigerian Engineers On Project Execution

Governor Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers state has urged Nigerian engineers to subscribe to international best practices in project designs and execution to enable their projects to stand the test of time.

He made the call on Tuesday in Port Harcourt when the leadership of Rivers branch of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) visited him.

Amaechi said government would only be willing to give out engineering jobs to indigenous engineers if they showed competence in project delivery.

He urged the NSE to conduct a self appraisal to upgrade its members’ expertise, stressing that government was only interested in the delivery of quality projects.

“Every government will want to use local engineers, but it has to do with quality of delivery. The society needs to do an in-house review of its activities, because what it is doing for us is service.”

Amaechi also urged the society to work toward reducing quackery and mediocrity in the profession.

“We agree, there are quacks almost everywhere, but we should agree that it is more dangerous to allow them operate in some areas, and engineering is one of such areas.”

The governor said that as part of his administration’s resolve to assist in developing the competence of engineers, a fresh batch of engineers employed by government would soon leave for training abroad.

The Chairman of Rivers branch of NSE, Dr Asinyetogha Igoni, had earlier said the society was on the visit to forge better relationship with the state government and intimate the governor of its challenges.

He congratulated the governor on his developmental strides in the state and solicited the engagement of local engineers in project implementation.

“If we depend completely on expatriates, one day they will leave. We need to engage the services of indigenous engineers too.”