Akwa Ibom State Governor Mr Udom Emmanuel has called on Nigerian Engineers to revamp the Nations electricity infrastructure and make the service affordable and available for the consuming public.
Governor Emmanuel made the call while declaring open the African Engineering Conference on Energy organised by the Nigerian Society of Engineers at The Tropicana Conference Centre, Uyo.
According to him “electricity is the spark that ignites ingenuity in small business, a key tool that drives down the cost of production and whose steady availability will engender a Domino effect on the society and the net result cannot be quantified”
“… one the factors that have negated our march to sustainable development has been the epileptic supply of electricity and I am glad that this conference has singled out this important issue as its main area of concentration” The Governor remarked .
He spoke of the conference as the largest assemblage of engineers under one roof in recent times saying that theme of the conference “Adequate, Reliable and Sustainable Energy in Africa” is apt in view of the important role of energy in industrialization and sustainable development.
Governor Emmanuel noted that several strategies have been adopted to resolve the energy crisis in the country for the promotion of economic growth and urged the professional Engineers to evolve action plans with relevant professionals to provide the technical know how that would encourage policy makers to bring about sustainable development.
“We must do all we can to conquer our parlous state of electricity supply. Nigeria’s growth and development would have exploded and our economy would have been roaring if we had found solutions to this huge national problem. “
” It is sometimes depressing to see countries that are not half as endowed as we are, but they have overcome in significant measures their energy challenges. I believe this conference will make solid recommendations and come up with a blueprint that may help us light our nation, expand our growth and consequently improve the quality of lives of our people.” He stated.
Earlier the President Federation of African Engineering Organisation Engr. Mustafa B. Shehu said that the objective of the Federation is to establish appropriate standard of Engineering education that would be acceptable within and outside African Continent, build Engineering resource capacity in every country, support the work of each member organisation in it own territory amongst others.
He spoke of the urgent need to propel Nigeria’s economy in the direction of raising the bar of the living conditions for the citizens stressing that manufacturing is a critical tool at this moment of global financial meltdown and pointed out that provision of adequate energy is the panacea to achieving set goals.
While lauding the symbiotic alliances between Nigeria, China and other Asian Nations Engr. Shehu expressed optimism that with the calibre of resource persons at the Conference solutions to energy crisis would be profferred.
He thanked the state government for the hospitality accorded them and for granting the
body an opportunity to host the Conference in the state.
At the event Fellowship award were confered on some distinguished members of the Engineering profession.
Source: Killer Punch
.jpg)
0 Comments