The Nigerian Institution of Mechanical Engineers recently inaugurates the New National Chairman in Abuja. Engr Dr Robinson Ejilah unveiled his programme action after the official investiture to usher him and his team as the 13th National Chairman. Below is the highlight of the Speech.:
I want to express my profound gratitude to all Nigerian Mechanical Engineers for finding me worthy to serve in this capacity. I pledge to serve you well, and of course- to the best of my ability in running the activities of an Institution that is technical and professional in its entire ramification. Towards this end, I am calling for your unalloyed support and cooperation, to deliver the services you desire and deserve. You will agree with me that no organization could rise beyond the capacity of its members.
I am delighted to state that a well-laid out proposal for institutional development with implementable strategies have also been developed for my two-year tenure, after a broad-based consultation with some critical stakeholders, and the high lights are presented as follows:
NIMechE Strategic Development Master Plan
The future is said to belong to those who plan for it, and the better we understand the world we leave in, the easier we will survive in it. Hence we desire to reposition NIMechE and achieve global competitiveness and recognition. We will re-examine its goals, processes, achievement and collectively set new goals and target on the need for a strategic development master plan.
Professional mentoring activities.
My administration will seek to draw up an implementable policy framework on mentoring not only to drive the process, but to serve as our ‘rule of engagement’ to would- be operators of this very important learning activity.
Promoting STEM with Awards of Academic Excellence.
To give our future engineers a head-start in engineering training NIMechE must promote a solid foundation in STEM at the various school levels. Hence, the inter-disciplinary approach STEM provides equips our younger generation for future success in college, careers and life with; improved communication skill, collaboration, and critical thinking and creativity abilities, to compete in the emerging global economy.
We will seek to introduce the NIMechE-STEM Excellence Awards to spur excellence and innovation in science and technology education across our school systems, with a special emphasis on creating access and opportunities for underrepresented and excluded groups, such as, the girl-child, the disabled and poverty-stricken children.
NIMechE Benevolence Scheme.
My administration is favourably disposed to setting-up a Benevolent Fund for NIMechE to cater for the welfare of members in this regard
Membership Recruitment Drive.
Membership is indisputably the lifeblood of any organization. To achieve this, I intend to galvanize NIMechE chapters into a nation-wide membership drive by leveraging on our existing human relationships, and promoting what NIMechE have to offer as a professional group to boost its membership roster. On membership drive, we intend to work out a package of incentive(s) as a gratification to spur our NIMechE Chapters and members involved in active and productive membership recruitment activities.
Spousal Activities.
We need a more vibrant spousal participation in NIMechE’s activities. The purpose of a more organised NIMechE Spouses Forum is to: represent us, support our professional interests, exchange experiences, listen to us and offer advice, and organise social and philanthropic events on our behalf.
The potentials of our spouses as a formidable force for community service volunteering should of necessity be harnessed for the good of the public image of our great Institution.
Institutional Collaboration.
On behalf of NIMechE, we shall seek to collaborate with relevant bodies, agencies of government, and other professional organisations in the following areas of professional expertise:
- Codes and standards.
- Training and certification.
- Promoting research and innovation activities.
- Professional/Research Publications.
- NIMechE Engineneurs/Technopreneurs Roundtable.
Resuscitation of Technical/Specialized Groups.
This administration intends to resuscitate NIMechE’s technical and specialized groups, to enable them take their rightful place as committee of experts. The membership of these groups should of necessity be leading researchers and mechanical engineering practitioners who offer a unique insight and perspective into their area of expertise. With everything being equal, they are expected to meet within the professional year to discuss the latest development in the practice and technology of their area of specialties and provide expert advice to the NIMechE leadership either for the purpose of; advocacy and public sensitization, collaboration, and the commercialization of research findings. The specialized groups of the institution are;
- Design and Manufacturing,
- Energy/Oil and Gas,
- Production Planning,
- Maintenance and Management,
- Building Services, and
- Mechanical Engineering Entrepreneurship.
These specialized groups offer attendees a unique opportunity to discuss topics of mutual interest, promoting the exchange of ideas and sharing of experience. NIMechE members are at liberty to enrol in one or more specialized groups. My administration would deepen the scope of the professional discourse provided by theses technical and specialized groups.
NIMechE Body of Fellows
In our effort to consolidate the gains of the past administration, my tenure would like to have our Fellows better organised and repositioned for enhanced institutional and professional output. The Body of Fellows should take on the mission of serving as worthy ambassadors of the Institution by promoting our technical image through various activities.
NIMechE Honors/Awards.
The existing NIMechE fellowship award will remain our most-cherished mark of professional honour for recognising role models, who have distinguished themselves in the science and practise of mechanical engineering with a high standard of professional discipline. My tenure intends to institute other prestigious awards for prospective recipients.
Promoting Gender & Diversity- friendly Policies.
We must seek to address with a comprehensive gender and diversity policy. Our gender policy would seek to promote gender-balanced representation in all engineering committees, councils and commissions, and also improve gender mainstreaming through evaluation and exchanging good practices.
Polytechnic Amendment Act Bill.
We are happy to mention that NIMechE had made its contributions to further enrich the polytechnic amendment act bill during its public hearing in November, 2016. This bill is of particular interest to NIMechE for reasons that the history of the polytechnic system is inextricably connected to sound hands-on engineering training and practise!
We will continue to shore up legislative and public support for the bill and its eventual passage into law, for the following specific reasons.
Mechanical Engineering Advocacy
NIMechE roundly support advocacies that promote our professional responsibility to public health and safety, and engineering education, which includes, promoting:
- A good relation between industry and universities to give students opportunities for practical training;
- Research that can advance the standing of members and keep them marketable and competitive and those that can find solutions for local and regional needs;
- The commercialization of innovations that are developed in research laboratories at universities and polytechnics;
- Engineering innovations leading to job creation and major investments to establish a sound industrial base intended for wealth and job creation;
- Engineering ethics and minimizing corruption in design, contracting and supervision, and
The improvement of accreditation exercise and quality of engineering education.
Conclusion.
I would like to conclude by saying, creating a sustainable world that provides a safe, secure, healthy, productive, and sustainable life for all peoples should be a priority for the engineering profession. This is because engineers have an obligation to meet the basic needs of all humans for water, sanitation, food, health, and energy, as well as to protect cultural and natural diversity. It must be stressed that the task of improving the lives of over one hundred and eighty million Nigerians whose main concern is staying alive each day is no longer an option, but an obligation. Hence, educating engineers to become facilitators of sustainable development, appropriate technology, and social and economic changes represents one of the greatest challenges confronting the engineering profession.
It behoves on us, to provide higher visibility to our profession by creating structures and technologies that will enhance a decent quality of life for current and future generations. Towards this end, new programs should be encouraged to offer more opportunities for practicing engineers in very many innovative pathways should be encouraged for the purpose of addressing the problems of our country and communities.
I am looking forward to a great tenure and hope to see many of you at our functions. May everyday be as joyous as your happiest day of the year.
Engr. Robinson I.Ejilah, PhD, MNSE, FNIMechE
National Chairman, 2018-