The Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) has called for immediate construction of flood control dams along the Rivers Niger and Benue to avert flooding likely to be occasioned by the release of Lagdo dam in Cameroon.
In a letter to the Nigerian government, Cameroonian authorities recently said they would open the floodgate of Lagdo Dam on the River Benue in days ahead.
At a news conference in Abuja on Monday, NSE President, Engr. Tasiu Gidari-Wudil said that the commencement of construction of the dam should be a priority while also calling for the dredging of major rivers to reduce siltation and sedimentation.
”Floods are among the most devastating natural disasters in the world, claiming lives and causing damage to properties and infrastructure.
”In Nigeria, flood affects and displaces more people than any other disaster every year.
“After the 2012 flooding incident, several committees were set up by governments at the federal level and the respective states affected by the flood.
”Also in November 2022, the Federal Government inaugurated a Presidential Committee on flood disasters. The mandate of the committees was to conduct research and develop comprehensive action plans for preventing flood disasters in Nigeria.
”As it stands today, the recommendations of studies conducted by the committees are yet to be fully implemented”, he said.
He called on the government to enforce existing policies and initiate legislations to protect the environment from the activities of man, occasioned by industrialisation and urbanisation as well as the climate change.
On the incessant building collapse around the country, Gidari-Wudil blamed the private sector players for compromising building standards through engaging the services of quacks.
”If you take the statistics of building collapse in the country in the last 20 years, government buildings involved in collapse is just 10 per cent, it is private sectors that are compromising.
”That Is why government projects are more expensive because they make use of professionals but in the private project, the prices are usually beaten down and as such will employ services of someone who is not an engineer.
”In all building collapse in this country, only few of these incidences involve our members and once we know, they are sanctioned.
”For example, in the Ikoyi building collapse, about three engineering companies worked out on that project. At NSE, we usually investigate all engineering failures and that is the way to go”, he said.
While commending President Bola Tinubu on the appointment of three engineers in his ministerial portfolios, Gidari-Wudil said the number was grossly inadequate considering having eight engineering-based ministries.
He further called on the President to increase the number in future considerations saying ‘we hold the strong conviction that only engineers will function optimally in engineering ministries”.
On petroleum subsidy removal, he said in as much as the society supports the removal, adequate measures were not put in place to mitigate the effects on Nigerians.
The NSE president also said that the society had aligned itself with the Federal Government’s National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy to establish an innovation hub that would become the “Silicon Valley” of Nigeria in the near future.
”As the world progresses into the era of the 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR), we have envisioned the NSE Smart Innovation Hub as a catalyst for a digital Nigeria, aligning with the federal government’s National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy.
”Realising that a SMART office project is a growing concern that requires time and continuous improvement, I have set up a trustees to undertake all it takes to bring the project to full attainment.
”However, I am happy to announce to you that we have reached an appreciable stage and by the grace of God, the ‘NSE SMART INNOVATION HUB’ will be officially launched on Wednesday, September 13, 2023″, he said.
He added that the hub would serve as a centre for research and development on technology and innovation challenges and for improving the ease-of-doing-business.
He said the hub would be a model to impact positively on the economic and technological development of the country.
He said it would also include an Artificial Intelligence (AI)/ Internet of Things (IoT) Laboratory, Automation and Engineering Laboratory, Virtual/Physical Offices and e-Library.
