The President of the Senate, Sen. Godswill Akpabio on Saturday, called for the enhancement of engineering education to drive the growth and development of the country.
He also noted that engineers must be equipped with necessary skills and knowledge to compete on a global scale.
The Senate President stated this while delivering a keynote address at the Investiture of Engr. Margaret Aina Oguntala as the 34th President of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), in Abuja.
Akpabio, who was represented by the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, said this could be achieved through partnerships with educational institutions, industry leaders and professional organizations, adding that it was not the duty of the government alone but involved all industry stakeholders.
The Senate President advised engineers to remain committed and contribute to the growth of the nation in the areas of infrastructure, economic growth and adequate training of young professionals to be able to compete favorably within the global environment.
Akpabio applauded the engineers for electing the first female president of the NSE, saying it was the right direction for promoting gender equality and inclusivity in the field of engineering.
He stated, “This occasion holds immense significance as we witness the investiture of Engr. Margaret Aina Oguntala, FNSE, the 34th President of the Nigerian Society of Engineers – the first woman to hold this prestigious position. Let us not underestimate the
importance of this milestone.
“One area that demands our immediate attention is the enhancement of engineering education and training.
“We must strive to equip our engineers with the necessary skills and knowledge to compete on a global scale. By fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing, we can ensure that our engineers are armed with the latest tools and techniques to tackle complex engineering problems.”
While pledging the support of the 10th National Assembly to the society toward the growth of the country, Senator Akpabio urged them to enlist Nigerian engineers in the diaspora to avail the nation of their skills and expertise.
He added, “Just take a look at the statistics and you will be amazed by the impact Nigerian engineers are making globally. Our engineers are breaking new ground and leading the way in technological innovation.
“The NSE should reach out to Nigerian engineers in the Diaspora and urge them to respond to the call in our National Anthem, “Nigeria’s call…” Let them come home and share their skills with us.”
Speaking earlier, Engr. Oguntala pledged to nurture engineering to new heights and unveiled a new agenda for the NSE tagged ‘Rebirthing the NSE for growth, empowerment and advancement of Engineering in Nigeria’ for the next two years.
She identified key focus areas of her tenure to include, membership professional development to keep them at the forefront of knowledge; active engagement with intergovernmental bodies, industries and academia to foster partnerships that drive progress, innovation and knowledge exchange; collaboration with leading international engineering organisations and foreign missions to gain access to resources and opportunities for members; commitment to engineering expertise to address societal challenges as well as advocating for vocational science, technology, engineering and mathematics (VSTEM) education as a key initiative to empower future leaders.
