The Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) has urged mechanical engineers to assist the Federal Government with implementable strategies for the revival of the manufacturing sector.
COREN President, Mr Kashim Ali, gave the charge during the 28th National Conference and Annual General Meeting of the Nigerian Institution of Mechanical Engineers (NIMechE) on Thursday in Abuja.
The theme of 2015 NIMechE National Conference is “The Role of the Mechanical Engineers in the Revitalisation of the Manufacturing Sector”.
Ali said that the COREN would forward practical solutions generated from the conference to the Federal Government to assist its effort to revitalize the manufacturing sector.
“I want you (mechanical engineers) to assume that you are responsible for the downfall of the manufacturing sector. So, begin to interrogate yourselves, now. Assume you did it, so that we can make progress moving forward.
“This is because the mood of the nation now is the mood of change. I am hoping that within a few years of this administration, we can begin to talk about industrial areas again.
“You recall in those days we talked about industrial areas in many cities across the country. But all those have gone.
“And I know from your theme, you want to see how we can have that again, because our nation can go nowhere until we go into manufacturing.”
Ali urged them to ignore the economic jargons always being talked about the nation being the biggest economy in Africa after rebasing.
”Is there any positive impact on the life of the ordinary citizens?
“So, arising from this conference, please come up with implementable strategies that can be forwarded to the President. The President has received all manner of advice but he needs implementable programmes.
“He has not gotten enough yet. So, don’t leave here until you have solutions that are implementable. Don’t just make recommendations but you must add implementable strategies to those recommendations,’’ Ali advised.
Also speaking, the President, Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Mr Ademola Olorunfemi, said engineers must partner the Buhari administration in its determination to revitalize manufacturing sector as a major strategy for job creation.
The NSE President was represented by the Vice-President in charge of Corporate Resources and Media, Mrs Margaret Oguntala.
“The Buhari administration has maintained that the revitalization of the manufacturing sector will be its cardinal focus aimed at bringing life into the economy.
“We must align ourselves with the various policies of government that will stimulate the manufacturing sector to create jobs and reduce the current high level of unemployment in the country,‘’ he said.
Earlier, the National Chairman, Nigerian Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Prof. Adisa Bello, noted that the poor level of infrastructure constituted an impediment to economic growth and development of the manufacturing sector.
“Infrastructure is the life blood of any economy. No economy can grow and develop without a reasonable stock of critical infrastructure.
“This means that where infrastructure is inadequate or lacking, the cost of doing business will be high.”
Bello, therefore, urged the Federal Government to revamp the power and transportation sectors, to enable the manufacturing sector to thrive.
He concluded that the nation’s infrastructure level must be dynamic and functional, to move goods around and help people create wealth.
Source: Guardian
