Quality infrastructure key to economic development – Engineers

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Engineers in the country have said that there is a direct correlation between the quality of infrastructure and national health, productivity and sustainable development.
Some of them, who spoke at the fourth Annual Infrastructure Asset Summit Africa 2015 in Lagos, noted that quality sustainable infrastructure was a pre-requisite for developing economic strength.
The President, Nigerian Society of Engineers, Mr. Ademola Olorunfemi, said it was squarely the responsibility of engineers and public policy leaders to deploy relevant sustainable infrastructure systems and knowledge to operate and maintain them in a manner that would add value to the life of citizens and the economy.
He said, “We cannot run away from this responsibility. In the area of electric power supply, we need to change focus to have a sustainable national energy plan, with a balanced and sustainable energy mix and the required support infrastructure to fuel it. We have abundant solar, wind, biomass and mini/small/major hydropower resources and sites in Nigeria. What are we doing with them?
“We have lots of underutilised and idle irrigation/flood control dams all over Nigeria that can, in a short while, be converted into mini/small or major hydropower stations, producing renewable and sustainable energy into the national grid.
“Engineers and engineering in Nigeria have the duty to develop a sustainable energy mix principle that is fit for purpose for Nigeria. Based on this mix, we should then provide the required infrastructure in a flawless manner that addresses any challenges along the value chain to the consumer.
“We need to have the right mix of power plants, the right maintenance culture, the right power transmission and distribution infrastructure, including world-class power receipt and despatch centre far better than what we presently have in Osogbo. Engineering and engineers in Indian and China, who were probably not as good as Prof. Ayodele Awojobi in his days in Imperial College, London have done it for their countries; engineers in Nigeria can do it.”
Olorunfemi said sustainable infrastructure delivery required engineers to consider more widely than before the impact on life and that of future generations through design and construction lifecycle, the infrastructure and products produced, both geographically and temporally.
“Sustainable infrastructure delivery requires engineers to conform their productive activities to sustainable development principles such as living within environmental limits, ensuring a strong healthy and just society, achieving a sustainable economy and promoting good governance,” he added.
The Minister of Works, Mr. Mike Onolememen, noted in a presentation that despite the importance of road assets to the socioeconomic process, it was sad that due to political bias, improper government commitments and sheer lack of the right policies or decision-making; road maintenance had been neglected in the country in the last two decades.
“Allocations for asset preservation have been so low that the situation has generally worsened over the last two to three decades in such a way that less than 50 per cent of required road asset preservation budgets are met. This state of affairs has caused a significant loss of asset value that will need to be replaced at much higher cost than when they were first built,” he said.
According to him, the theme of the conference, ‘The benefits and challenges of implementing a road asset management system in a developing nation’, is timely in several ways.
Onolememen said, “Firstly, the urgency of effective management and operation of road transport in our country has never been higher. The rapid growth of the population and expansion of our economies have placed a huge pressure on the demand for roads. Most of the developing countries are facing ever increasing traffic congestions in their major roads.
“Previous research has shown that following the collapse or poor performance of railway transport in many countries, upward of 80 to 90 per cent or of all passengers and goods (freight) is carried on roads.”
The minister added that there was a need for proper maintenance of road assets in the country.
A representative of Watershed Associates, Jo Parker, said applying asset management principles could make overstretched resources go further in good shape.
“Asset management can improve performance and satisfy customers, and everyone has a part to play. It’s a long journey that needs patience and persistent because it is not always the glamorous work that gives the best pay back,” he said.

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