Home Blog Page 1206

NEW CHALLENGES IN THE MANAGEMENT OF ENGINEERING PROJECTS BY ENGR BAYO ADEOLA

My Engineers
-
0
NEW CHALLENGES IN THE MANAGEMENT OF ENGINEERING PROJECTS BY ENGR BAYO ADEOLA

A PAPER PRESENTED TO THE NIGERIAN SOCIETY OF ENGINEERS, IKEJA BRANCH AT THEIR MONTHLY TECHNICAL FORUM ON THURSDAY 5 FEBRUARY 2009 BY ENGR BAYO ADEOLA

1 Introduction

There are some basic fundamentals in managing projects, irrespective of the particular application areas of the project. Two of these are:

1 The Project Management Process, which includes Initiation, Planning, Execution, Monitoring & Control and Project Closure

2 Project Management Knowledge Areas, of which the Project Management Institute, PMI, identifies nine – Integration, Scope, Time, Cost, Quality, Human Resources, Communication, Risk and Procurement.

In addition to these two fundamentals, PMI also identifies five key competences required of the project manager as follows:

  • Project Management Knowledge and Skills
  • Application Area Knowledge and Skills
  • General Management
  • Project Environment, and
  • Interpersonal Skills

The particular focus of this presentation is the Engineering Industry, which thus constitutes the application knowledge area. The project environment is broadly Nigeria and particularly Lagos. It is in these two contexts that new challenges in the management of engineering projects will be discussed.

2 Project & Product Life Cycle in the Engineering Industry

From the clients’ perspective, the project life cycle can be very broad and may start from concept and end with possession and operation of the facility by end users. In this respect, it is important to emphasise the difference between the facility as a project, the project life cycle of which ends when the product is delivered, and the product live cycle which is the use to which the building is put with its own characteristics. Thus, the project life cycle for a facility may vary from as short as two to three months for the simplest projects to as long as five years or more for complex projects.




The project life cycle for a building may include some or all of the following:

  1. The business or social basis for the project
  2. Feasibility studies and Concept Development
  3. Land acquisition
  4. Design
  5. Statutory Approvals
  6. Construction
  7. Commissioning
  8. Occupation & defect liability period

An integrated management company could have the capacity and capability to cover the whole spectrum identified above and may even go on to assist in the product management on completion of the project. A construction industry focused project management firm like mine would have a narrower band of focus, starting with land acquisition and ending with the defect liability period. A construction firm would have an even narrower focus and be involved only in the construction, commissioning and defect liability phases of the project.

However, irrespective of the range of focus of the particular organisation in question, all the elements of the project life cycle must be addressed, even if by some other organisation. The business or social basis for the project has its own life cycle, at the end of which the client or sponsor decides which projects are worth pursuing. This phase may lead to the feasibility phase during which more work is done to further establish the viability of the project. Usually, one of the outcomes of this phase is a preferred location for a project and a site is thus allotted or acquired. The land acquisition phase is the prerogative of the estate surveyor with its own life cycle. Next comes the design phase, where a lot of us work as consulting engineers.

3 Changing Project Delivery Landscape

3.1 Our clients are changing.

Public Infrastructures & Facilities

Government used to be the sole provider of infrastructures in the past. Most of the older projects were therefore done for ministries, parastatals and quasi government institutions.

While governments still do a lot of projects, the other sectors of the economy have started to play a critical role in the provision of infrastructures. In the telecommunication area for example, the private sector has become the dominant players and are taking increasing ownership of the infrastructures. Even in the sectors where government is still very active, the private sector is playing increasing role in the financing of such projects, and sometimes in initiating, managing and owning the facility.

The investing private sector, in particular, is playing very active role in this area. The local wing of the Muritala Muhammed Airport and the Lekki Expressway in Lagos are current examples of state infrastructures driven by the investing private sector.




Private Sector Infrastructures & Facilities

Establishment Private Sector Organisations have always owned their infrastructures, and this is still the case. It was for a long time dominated by the oil companies, and they still own a disproportionate percentage of the investment in this sector. Two developments have emerged to influence this sector. The first is the liberalisation of some industries in the economy, giving rise to new sectors in private hands. Again, the telecommunication sector is still the most prominent, but other sectors are increasingly being considered and will emerge. The second is the relative growth of the economy and the ability of businesses to own their own facilities as demonstrated by banks and insurance companies in particular. This has given rise to the recent development of private sector medium to high rise buildings

Property Developers

The investing public has also shown interest in housing development, mostly driven by banks, mortgage finance houses and even professionals in the construction industry with access to capital. Housing Estates have therefore become part of our project portfolio

The fact that there is not much work in the area of industrial infrastructures is an indication of how little attention is still being paid to manufacturing.

3.2 Procurement Methods

Design – Bid – Build

The design – bid – build is the traditional and familiar method of project procurement. In this method, the client engages consultants who prepare the designs, invite contractors to build, and the selected contractor builds the facility. The client finances the project through any of the financing options available to him, but the project is not involved with the financing mechanism, just invoicing and receiving payments.

In this option, the design engineer has responsibilities for the correctness of designs and supervision of the works to ensure compliance.

Design & Build

The involvement of the private sector in infrastructure provision is now changing this very clean approach. The first major change is the effort to reduce risks on the project through the process of design and build. In the design – bid – build, the design is considered as the property of the client, and any errors, omissions or inadequate specifications are considered as the liability of the client for which the contractor can make claims. In the design and build option, the design is considered the property of the contractor and any errors, omissions or inadequate specifications are considered the responsibility of the contractor, in addition to his traditional construction responsibility.

This method has grown significantly in recent years and engineers need to be aware and know how to respond. In it, the responsibility of the supervising consultants becomes that of ensuring that minimum standards are met, that the contractor is implementing what he has designed, and that what has been designed will meet the client’s requirements and professional standards.

Build Operate & Transfer (BOT)

In this option, the responsibility of the contractor goes beyond the construction of the facility. He is also required to run the facility before transferring it to the client. The contractor is thus usually involved in process selection and must necessarily take responsibility for designs and construction work.

An example of this is when the contractor is required to construct and commission water or wastewater treatment plants for a period of 3 to 12 months before handing such over to the client. It is also common in electrical generation plants where an essential part of the contract requires the operation and training of personnel as part of the contract.

The project team then would involve designers, manufacturers, contractors and operators of facilities. The engineer would need to have competences in design, evaluation of equipment selection, supervision of works, and management of facilities.




Build Own Operate & Transfer (BOOT)

In this option, the contractor takes even more responsibility. In addition to the technical and managerial requirements of designing, construction and operating the facility, he also takes responsibility for the raising of finance and financial management of the facility to make profit. The Muritala Muhammed domestic terminal and the Lekki expressway are contracted along these terms.

3.3 Vehicles for Delivering Projects

There are three broad vehicles for delivering projects along the scope described above, and the three of them are being used.

Government Direct Contracts

Government direct contracts are mostly design – bid – build contracts and are the ones with which we are most familiar. They may, however, also come as design and build as well as BOT in specialised sectors where operations are critical to the delivery of the facility. BOOT is not usually a government direct contract project as it involves the transfer of ownership to a third party.

Private Sector Contracts

Private sector contracts may be any of the four above. The most common, however, is also the design – bid – build.

Private – Public – Partnership

This is a more recent project delivery vehicle in which the government and a private sector company jointly own the project. The government investment sometimes is limited to land, the value of which is converted to equity. Often it extends beyond this to include design services already executed by the government, licences obtained and similar project assets. It may also extend to include direct cash investment. The private sector company, on the other hand, mostly brings cash, technical know-how and management

4 Roles of Engineers in the New Landscape

Design – Bid – Build

In this option, the engineer continues to play his traditional role either as a consultant or a contractor. His technical and managerial challenges are to be better at what he already does. Most engineers are pre-occupied with the building sub-sector of the construction industry. It must, however, be remembered that there are several other sectors including water supply, waste management, roads and highways, rural electrification, transportation, etc. Penetrating these markets require us to broaden our technical competences as well as improve our managerial abilities.

Design & Build

In design and build, the design and construction skills are still required. Usually, some project description documents to properly capture the client’s requirements are necessary. These may be limited to simple specifications for simple projects, to relatively complex designs for complex projects. The design and build options thus still has opportunities for the client’s engineer.

The responsibilities of the client’s engineer do not end with defining the client’s requirements, it goes on to the verification of the contractor designs as having met these requirements, and the supervision of the works to ensure quality and compliance.

However, a new opportunity opens to the engineer in being able to offer design services to the contractor. In this respect, he is not working as an independent designer for the client, but as part of the project delivery team of the contractor. This allows him to take full advantage of the contractor managerial and technical assets and optimise the designs for maximum efficiency and effectiveness.

Design engineers with flare and skills in construction can have opportunity to use and improve these skills, similarly, construction engineers with design skills can put this to use. Leadership of the project can rest with either the design or the construction engineer.




A broader skill set is therefore required of the engineer in the design and build environment. The designer can no longer rely on his design skills only; neither can the contractor rely on his construction skills only.

One of the challenges in this approach is that the design engineer becomes significantly less visible, and the construction aspects are more visible and better appreciated.

Build Operate & Transfer

The challenges of the build operate and transfer systems are more complex than the design and build. In both the design –bid – build and design and build systems, the operational requirements are totally the responsibility of the client. In the build, operate and transfer, however, the fitness for purpose component of quality evaluation becomes very important. Complex projects such as airports, railway stations, refineries and power stations therefore usually have strong components of operational requirements.

More engineering opportunities emerge from this requirement. In addition to design and construction engineers, facilities managers’ inputs are always critical to the project. Indeed, the operations phase is the manifestation of the quality of the project.

Coordination, integration and flexibility are critical skills required to thrive in this field.

Design Life Cycle

The design phase of an engineering project may be outlined as follows:

  • Preparation of clients’ brief
  • Concept design
  • Preliminary design
  • Final design
  • Tendering
  • Appointment of Contractor
  • Statutory Approvals
  • Appointment of Subcontractors
  • Construction supervision
  • Commissioning of project
  • Defects Liability Period

Construction Life Cycle

  • Tendering and negotiation
  • Award of Contract
  • Construction
  • Practical completion & Commissioning
  • Defects liability period

Design & Build Life Cycle

  • Preparation of clients’ brief
  • Appointment of concept/preliminary design consultants
  • Concept/preliminary design
  • Tendering
    • Final design & Construction Bid Proposal
  • Appointment of Contractor
  • Statutory Approvals
  • Detailed Design & Construction
  • Commissioning of project
  • Defects Liability Period

Build, Operate & Transfer Life Cycle

  • Preparation of clients’ brief
  • Prepare Concept Design
  • Invite Expression of Interest in BOT
  • Tendering
    • Design, Construction & Operations Bid Proposal
  • Appointment of Contractor
  • Preliminary & Final Designs
  • Statutory Approvals
  • Detailed Design & Construction
  • Operations
  • Disengage & Hand-Over

Build, Own, Operate & Transfer Life Cycle

  • Preparation of clients’ brief
  • Prepare Preliminary Concept Design
  • Invite Expression of Interest in BOOT
  • Tendering
    • Design, Construction, Operations & Ownership Bid Proposal
  • Appointment of Contractor
  • Design
  • Statutory Approvals
  • Detailed Design & Construction
  • Operations
  • Disengage & Hand-Over

Conclusion





I was given the freedom to choose a topic bordering on engineering entrepreneurship or management that would be of great benefit to the members of NSE. Freedom is not always desired or good. In my own case, it took me a while to choose a topic.

I have looked at the prevailing project procurement environment and the new challenges to the engineer. I am not sure whether this is management or entrepreneurship, but the management challenges are clearly different from our present comfort zone, and there are great opportunities for entrepreneurship in these new approaches.

Consulting firms must re-evaluate their strategies to be able to play actively in the market place. Our clients’ profiles are changing, the methods of procurement are changing, and the operational requirements are changing. Unless we change with them appropriately, we will be marginalised.

Changing with them requires that we acquire new skills, particularly management, business and entrepreneurship skills.

I read a quotation whose author I don’t remember:

‘There are three types of people:
Those who make things happen
Those who watch things happen, &
Those who don’t have a clue what is going on
Don’t be caught among the last group.

Bayo Adeola, February 2009

NDE Lists Obstacles to Self-employment

My Engineers
-
0
NDE Lists Obstacles to Self-employment

THE Yobe State coordinator of National Directorate of Employment (NDE), Alhaji Adamu Ba’aba, has identified “lack of funds” as bane of creating employment, because only 65 of 297 or 25 per cent of trained graduates in the state were equipped with tools and take-off grants.

The coordinator made this known recently in an interactive session with reporters in Damaturu on the rising rate of unemployment and inability to create more jobs for the unemployed.

He said: “When you train somebody and do not settle him with tools and take off grants to work with, his skills cannot be put to use to fight poverty and unemployment among the youths.”

He therefore appealed to the state and local governments to assist the graduates and trainees with working tools to start their business ventures.

“Public officers must also come forward to provide their people with the working tools because, leaving it to government alone cannot provide jobs and solve the problem of unemployment” said the coordinator on how to reduce poverty and unemployment in the country.

Ba’ aba described the rate of unemployment and poverty in the state as scary and unacceptable, stating that “we were looking for 100 hands to clean the streets at N3,000 per month but more than 400 people turned up for the job opportunities that were not advertised.

He said that politicians should emulate the federal legislator representing Bade/Jakusko federal constituency, Alhaji Zakariyau Galadima, who provided N2 million worth of tools to graduands from his constituency.

He also called on Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs), faith-based organisations and wealthy citizens to join hands with NDE and other relevant agencies in combating poverty and unemployment.

The NDE, he said has a lot of skill acquisition programmes, including graduate attachment programme, environmental beautification scheme and many more that can provide people with means of livelihood.

But the problem, he however noted, is the lack of working tools to start the job creation activities.

The Communiqué at the End of Annual National Conference held in Lagos, tagged EKO 2008 at Lagos Airport Hotel, Ikeja.

My Engineers
-
0
The Communiqué at the End of Annual National Conference held in Lagos, tagged EKO 2008 at Lagos Airport Hotel, Ikeja.

The Communique at the End of Annual National Conference held in Lagos, tagged EKO 2008 at Lagos Airport Hotel, Ikeja.

The Nigerian Institution of Civil Engineers (A Division of the Nigerian Society of Engineers) held her 6th National Civil Engineering Conference and Annual General Meeting from 6th to 8th November 2008 at the Lagos Theme: COSTAL FLOODING PROBLEMS IN NIGERIAN: SUSTAINABLE ENGINEERING SOLUTIONS .

The occasion attracted notable Engineers and people from all works. The Senate President, Senator David Mark GCON was the Special Guest of Honour of the opening ceremony which was chaired by Engr, K. A. Ali, FNSE President NSE. The Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) was the Chief Host while Senator Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu gave the Keynote Address. Other Dignitaries at the occasion included the Governors from Plateau State and Ekiti State. They were all represented by high government functionaries. Various papers on sub themes relating to tile theme were presented.

At the end of the conference the following resolutions were reached:-

I. Team work should be encouraged among the various allied professionals (Civil Engineers, Oceanographers, and Meteorologist etc) in coastal engineering related works.
2. There is the need for more research using state of the art equipment in coastal studies. ,
3. There is need for regular collection and collation of data and monitoring of all activities in the coastal region of Nigeria.
4. The coastal area of Nigeria which is about 91 0,OOOm2) is about 853km long. The problems of coastal erosion in this area are both man-made and natural. .
5. Benefits to be derived from coastal region when protected against flooding and erosion are enormous and can generate revenue which can add up to about 30% of Nigerians Annual budget: as in the case of Florida that contributes over 70%, of Florida Annual Budget.
6. We commend the Lagos State Government and the Federal Government For efforts at protecting the Victoria Island Bar , Beach and call on the other State Government particularly the Stales in tile Coastal Areas of Nigeria to emulate same.
7. We commend the effort of NDDC in her efforts to address the issues of Flooding and Erosion in the Niger Delta Region.
8. Above all, Registered Civil Engineers should be involved as as a matter of Government policy in the studies, analysis, design and execution of all civil engineering works in Nigeria .
9. We’re- iterate that it is still compulsory that all Civil Engineers attend the AGM of NICE as a mandatory Annual Continuing Professional Development.
10. EIection was held and the following persons were elected to various positions to run the affairs of NICE for the year 2009.

Engr Friday Chukwu
Chairman Publicity Committee.
Published in The Punch December 29th 2008

NICE Communique at the End of Annual National Conference held in Lagos, tagged EKO 2008 at Lagos Airport Hotel, Ikeja.

My Engineers
-
0
NICE Communique at the End of Annual National Conference held in Lagos, tagged EKO 2008 at Lagos Airport Hotel, Ikeja.

The Nigerian Institution of Civil Engineers, (A Divison of Nigerian Society of Engineers)

 Communiqué at the End of Annual National Conference held in Lagos, tagged EKO 2008 at Lagos Airport Hotel, Ikeja.

The Nigerian Institution of Civil Engineers (A Division of the Nigerian Society of Engineers) held her 6th National Civil Engineering Conference and Annual General Meeting from 6th to 8th November 2008 at the Lagos Theme: COSTAL FLOODING PROBLEMS IN NIGERIAN: SUSTAINABLE ENGINEERING SOLUTIONS .

The occasion attracted notable Engineers and people from all works. The Senate President, Senator David Mark GCON was the Special Guest of Honour of the opening ceremony which was chaired by Engr, K. A. Ali, FNSE President NSE. The Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Raji  Fashola (SAN) was the Chief Host while Senator Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu gave the Keynote Address. Other Dignitaries at the occasion included the Governors from Plateau State and Ekiti State. They were all represented by high government functionaries. Various papers on sub themes relating to tile theme were presented.

At the end of the conference the following resolutions were reached:-

  1. Team work should be encouraged among the various allied professionals (Civil Engineers, Oceanographers, and Meteorologist etc) in coastal engineering related works.
  2. There is the need for more research using state of the art equipment in coastal studies. ,
  3. There is need for regular collection and collation of data and monitoring of all activities in the coastal region of Nigeria.
  4. The coastal area of Nigeria which is about 91 0,OOOm2) is about 853km long. The problems of coastal erosion in this area are both man-made and natural. .
  5. Benefits to be derived from coastal region when protected against flooding and erosion are enormous and can generate revenue which can add up to about 30% of Nigerians Annual budget: as in the case of Florida that contributes over 70%, of Florida Annual Budget.
  6. We commend the Lagos State Government and the Federal Government For efforts at protecting the Victoria Island Bar , Beach and call on the other State Government particularly the Stales in tile Coastal Areas of Nigeria to emulate same.
  7. We commend the effort of NDDC in her efforts to address the issues of Flooding and Erosion in the Niger Delta Region.
  8. Above all, Registered Civil Engineers should be involved as as a matter of Government policy in the studies, analysis, design and execution of all civil engineering works in Nigeria .
  9. We’re- iterate that it is still compulsory that all Civil Engineers attend the AGM of NICE as a mandatory Annual Continuing Professional Development.
  10. EIection was held and the following persons were elected to various positions to run the affairs of NICE for the year 2009.

Engr Friday Chukwu

Chairman Publicity Committee.

SOLVING THE ENERGY CHALLENGE IN NIGERIA BY MALCOM FABIYI, PhD

My Engineers
-
0
SOLVING THE ENERGY CHALLENGE IN NIGERIA BY MALCOM FABIYI, PhD

The top item on President Yaradua’s seven point agenda is the revitalization of the power sector. In fact the power and energy sector has been agenda number one on the list of Nigerian governments for as long as I can remember. Yet the failures have been colossal. Obasanjo, I recall, dispatched heavy hitters like Bola Ige, Lionel Imoke and Segun Agagu to the sector, all with little effect. The more the efforts are that have been made in the power sector, the more troubled things seem to become. The more money is spent on the sector, the more epileptic and unreliable the performance of the sector appears to be.

Somewhere between $5 – 16 billion has been spent on power in the last ten years. In 1999, the peak power output in Nigeria was about 3,000 MW. Ten years, and about $10 billion later, Nigeria’s peak power output is about 3,400 MW. Large scale power generation and transmission costs $1,000/kW (or $1 million/MW). This implies that the average $10 billion supposedly spent so far on power should have gotten Nigeria an additional 10,000 MW. Since we have improved effective capacity by just 400 MW in that entire period, it implies that we have spent about $25 million per MW of additional capacity, when the costs should have been about $1 million per MW. The question really should be asked: what exactly were these monies spent on?

The importance of Power to the Economy

The role of power in national development is so fundamental that it is futile to talk about development without simultaneously considering the energy requirements that will facilitate that development. Power fires the engine room of the economy.

In order to understand the nexus of power and economic growth I decided to research what the relationship between the availability of power and the output (or Gross Domestic Product, GDP) of various economies were. I selected for that analysis a collection of countries that included advanced economies like the USA, Japan and Australia; Transition economies like Malaysia, Indonesia, and Libya; Upper developing countries like India, China, Egypt, and Morocco; and finally developing economies like Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Ghana.

My findings surprised me. Although it is intuitive that there should be a strong correlation between economic growth and the availability of power, I was amazed at how strong the correlation was when I started to work the numbers. A plot of GDP against the available power (in kWh) in these various countries gives an impressive straight line plot – suggesting that there was a path of causality that went from power to economic growth. The analysis suggested that on average these nations (including Nigeria) are able to generate economic output of about $3 per installed kWh.

malcom fabiyiThe monies spent so far on the power sector ought to have provided not just 10,000 MW of additional power, but also concomitant benefits to economic output that should have delivered a 6 six-fold increase of GDP from the current levels of about $160 billion to about $1 trillion dollars based on the observation that about $3 of output is generated per kWh of power available. $1 trillion of GDP would correspond to a GDP per capita of about $6,500 – similar to that of a middle level transitional economy like Malaysia ($6,200). We must therefore not count our losses not just in terms of the monies embezzled and wasted on the power sector, but also in terms of the opportunities lost.

The analysis also indicated that Nigeria lags its peers in terms of both its installed and available power base on per capita basis. Nigeria’s current power needs are about 25,000 MW. Currently, there is only 6,000 MW of installed capacity in place and of this, only about 3,400 MW is operational. Nigeria’s current power availability translates to about 200 kWh per capita. In comparison, Egypt and South Africa have an installed base of about 550 and 4,800 kWh per capita respectively. To enter into the league of the top 20 economies – a much publicized goal of the PDP government – Nigeria must be able to meet the average power capacity of 10,000 kWh per capita of these top economies.

The government’s current plans

While there is still some confusion regarding what Nigeria’s power sector strategy is, the list below summarizes the various targets that have been bandied around by the government and its agencies as the power generation goals that they have in sight.

6,000 MW German Power Pact: This is expected to inject 6,000 MW into the national power grid by 2013. This agreement was entered into by the Federal Government and a team of German firms.
6,500 MW Oil Producers Power Production: The Oil Producers Trade Section of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry has announced that plans were on going to inject 6,500MW into the grid before 2010.
4,500 MW IPP Power Contribution: IPPs are expected to contribute about 4,500 MW by 2010.

Strategies for Tackling the Problems in the Power Sector

There are two enduring challenges that need to be addressed if the power sector is to advance. These are the problems of sabotage and insufficient generation and transmission assets. It will be naive to imagine that there are no subterranean forces that are conspiring to keep the power sector comatose. Why would anyone want to keep such a critical sector as energy comatose? The answer is simple. It would be for the same reasons that numerous Nigerian regimes have conspired to stultify local refining capacity so that they could make money from importing petroleum imports; it would be for the same reason that Nigerian tax officials accepted $2 million bribes from Halliburton while allowing the firm to repatriate tens of millions of dollars that should have been paid to the Nigerian government; it would be for the same reason that one man – James Ibori reportedly embezzled $85 million that ought to have been spent on the citizens of Delta State.

Earlier in the year, the then Minister of State for Power, Mrs. Balaraba Ibrahim announced that in the ten (10) days between February 17 and 27th unknown vandals “cut down with a saw”, two (2) 330 kVA towers supplying power to Oyo, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Ekiti and Lagos states. The threat of sabotage is therefore not a merely theoretical one. It is real.

Motivations for Sabotage:

What groups of people would have an interest in sabotaging the power infrastructure in Nigeria? We can conceive of four (4) distinct groups who might have sufficient motivation to sabotage the power sector for their own ends. These groups are generator distributors, oil marketers, power sector contractors and the governmental (political) players who award power sector contracts and finally disgruntled workers in the power sector.

Diesel Marketers ($10 billion per year incentive for sabotage): Nigerians use about 4,500 million liters of diesel per annum on private power generation. At a fully loaded cost (including subsidies) of about N250/liter, this implies that marketers pull in revenues of about $9.3 billion per annum or N 1.1 trillion. If the power sector becomes stable, diesel marketers will suddenly find their revenues lower by some $9.3 billion annually.

Generator Distributors ($64 million per year incentive for sabotage): Given the fact that the efficiency of power generation from diesel is about 2.5 kWh/liter of diesel, it can be estimated that there is an installed generator base of 11 billion kWh per annum which translates to an output of 1,300 MW. Assuming single residence generators cost about $250/kVA on average, it implies that the installed generator base is worth about $320 million. With generators needing replacement every five years or so, annual generator sales of at least $64 million or N7.6 billion is estimated in Nigeria.

Governmental Corruption ($1 billion per year incentive for sabotage): Power is the biggest racket in Nigeria. The recent power probe by the House of Representatives and the unending drama and theatrics that it engendered provide a glimpse of the issues that the nation faces in this sector. Despite all the controversies about how much was spent or not spent, there is widespread agreement that somewhere between $5-16 billion have been spent in the last 6 years alone. Yet, the nation has nothing to show for it. On average about $1 billion is spent on the power sector annually. All these monies are handled by a tight clique of contractors, politicians and their civil servant collaborators.

Disgruntled Civil Servants in the Power Sector: Workers in the power sector have long kicked against attempts at deregulating and privatizing the sector. The Nigerian Tribune of June 8th 2008 (http://www.tribune.com.ng/08072008/edit.html ) reported that PHCN workers had vowed to sabotage government’s efforts in the power sector. It is not clear to me what the exact benefits are that the PHCN would get if the power sector completely collapsed, hence the idea that they are primarily responsible for the problems in the sector is suspect.

There is therefore a plethora of players who would have some interest in sabotaging the power situation in Nigeria, ranging from the marketers who make over $9 billion a year in diesel sales to politicians, civil servants and contractors in the power arena who have access to over $1 billion a year in spending on the power sector. Then of course there are also generator distributors whose annual sales of about $60 million dollars will be impacted. Finally, there are the workers in the power sector who feel short changed by government’s programs in the sector.

Charting A Way Forward

(1) Decentralized Power Solutions

Decentralized power generation might be the solution to Nigeria’s chronic power problem. Rather than engaging in grand, nation-wide scale efforts that have led us nowhere in the last 3 decades, it might be time to consider targeting more localized solutions. The advantages of localized or decentralized power solutions are many. Firstly, the deployment of the necessary equipment and tools are more readily achieved. The systems are smaller and more manageable. Secondly, the problem of transmission is more readily solved. With the current centralized power approach, sabotaging a transmission tower effectively cripples the entire network for all the users both downstream and upstream of where the sabotage occurred. As we earlier saw, the sabotage of two 330 kVA transmission towers was sufficient to knock 6 states off the grid for days. This would never happen with a decentralized system. Problems are localized, and more importantly, because transmission assets are in population areas, sabotage and vandalism is curtailed.

(2) Financing Power Sector Reform

Public Private Partnerships are a good way to go in financing investments in the energy sector. The government does not need to spend a dime in the financing of the decentralized power alternative proposed. There are numerous manufacturers and operators of power generation and transmission plants (such as GE, ABB, etc) who would, given the right investment environment, readily enter into Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) arrangements where they (the manufacturers) would commit their own funds to manufacture the systems, build and install the supporting infrastructure all at their own cost, provided they are allowed to operate the system for a period (that usually ranges from 10 to 20 years).

At the end of the concession period, the ownership of the equipment reverts to the government. The concessionaires make their money back by charging consumers to who they supply power. All that is required for the government to do in such an environment is to enact the necessary laws and statutes that will guarantee that fee collection is assured, and that the necessary eminent domain access rights to ensure that the process of putting the necessary generation and transmission infrastructure in place is provided. When the companies that own and operate these assets are the ones responsible for putting the infrastructure in place, it is certain that projects will be delivered in a cost effective and timely manner. Local and state governments need not wait for the federal government to implement these solutions.

(3) Addressing the problem of sabotage

A commission, similar to the EFCC in the scope of its powers and reach needs to be established to specifically investigate cases of sabotage, proactively identify saboteurs in the power sector, review all transactions and activities in the sector, monitor contracts and agreements, charge violators to court, prosecute their cases, and seek just restitution from all violators. Just restitution should not be limited to only the actual amounts embezzled or the market value of the damaged or sabotaged items. It should also include the opportunity cost of all the productive effort that was lost because of the unavailability of power resulting from the assets that were sabotaged or not acquired. Just recompense should also cover criminal and civil charges including murder for any known cases where people lost their lives because power outages that resulted from sabotage either caused them to fail to get life saving procedures at hospitals or caused asphyxiation resulting from carbon monoxide inhalation from generator exhausts. These latter victims would probably not have had to use a generating set if power was available.

Prologue

Prior to the deregulation of the telecommunications sector and the entry of cellular phone operators into Nigeria in 2001, the telecommunications model in Nigeria was that of a centralized, wire line service. That model delivered only 300,000 subscribers in 40 years. The new telecommunications model in Nigeria is a decentralized one. With such a model, assets can be deployed strategically, reliability is improved and service quality is enhanced. There are many parallels between that model and what I am proposing for the power sector. Bringing sanity to the power sector is a straightforward issue. It is absurd that such a readily addressable task has been made to acquire mammoth scale levels of complexity.

Malcolm E. Fabiyi, PhD can be reached at [email protected]. He is based in Chicago, IL, USA

2008 NSE NATIONAL CONFERENCE AND ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING COMMUNIQUE

My Engineers
-
0
2008 NSE NATIONAL CONFERENCE AND ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING COMMUNIQUE

THE NIGERIAN SOCIETY OF ENGINEERS, NSE   2008 NATIONAL CONFERENCE AND ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING,  COMMUNIQUE

The Nigerian Society of Engineers held its 41st National Engineering Conference and Annual General Meeting tagged “YANKARI 2008” at the Multi-Purpose Sports Complex, Bauchi between 24th and 28tth November, 2008. The theme of the Conference was “Strategies for the attainment of vision 20/2020”.

The Communiqué which emanated from the Conference is as follows:

1.         Food Security and National Development

  • The Conference observed that there is general scarcity of  food in Africa and that this is already noticeable in Nigeria. There is need for intensive agricultural mechanization including irrigation to ensure all year round food production.
  • The National Centre for Agricultural Mechanization (NCAM) should be strengthened to enforce existing laws on importation and standardization of agricultural plants and equipments.
  • Concerted efforts should be made by government and organized private sectors to intensify processing and storage of agricultural products in all the geo-ecological zones.
  • The Conference recommended that government should discourage food importation and boost local production through access to micro finance credit facilities.
  1. Indigenous Technology Development
  • The Conference congratulated the government for putting in place a Nigerian National Construction Policy in 1995, but notes that this policy only exists on paper. Government is called upon to put this policy into effect by enacting this policy into law.
  • The Nigerian Institute of Building and Road Research (NIBRR) should intensify efforts into pilot development projects to encourage private participation.
  • The present efforts of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) in the development of Codes and Standards on locally sourced materials for construction of low cost housing should be encouraged by government, relevant bodies and organizations.
  • The Conference recognizes that the current land-fill system of waste disposal which includes non-contained burning releases hazardous gases to the atmosphere. There is need for properly designed land fill Waste Management System in all major cities in Nigeria such that the gas (methane) can be harnessed as alternative energy source.
  1. Power Generation and Distribution
  • Nigeria is blessed with abundant water resources which can be harnessed for power generation. The conference recognises the need to develop small and medium hydropower plants which can readily be used to provide electricity.
  • The Conference observed that power generation can be further boosted by exploring coal development that is readily available in Nigeria. This will help in reducing over dependency on oil and gas for power generation and thereby diversifying sources of power generation. The energy master plan must be followed to the letter to fully harness the benefits thereof.
  • The Conference observed that bio-mass can further boost the energy needs of Nigeria by 2020 if appropriate technology is adopted for its transformation.
  • The Conference observed that nuclear power plant development for energy sources will help in further boosting the energy generation. The government through the Nigerian Nuclear Energy Regulatory Agency (NERA) should continue to work with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on the development of nuclear technology for power generation and other purposeful uses.
  • The Conference observed that no matter the amount of power generated, there is need for adequate manpower development. Therefore, Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) and other relevant agencies should focus more on manpower development.
  • The Conference observed that Nigerians and government should realise that the achievement of vision 20/2020 hinges on energy.

4.         Sustenance of Nigerian Content Development

  • The Conference commended government on the efforts made so far on the Nigerian Content Development plan. However, there is the need to pursue vigorously the implementation of the government plan for the attainment of the desired goals.
  • The Conference will appreciate the speedy passage of the Nigerian Content Development Bill now at the National Assembly in order not to truncate the laudable objectives.
  • Government should involve the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) and other organized private sectors in developing appropriate policies to accelerate manpower development for oil and gas and power generation and distribution in Nigeria.

 Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Development

  • The Conference observed that the benefits of ICT revolution in Nigeria can be maximized if availability of broad-band infrastructure across the country can be improved through the establishment of appropriate policy framework and enhancement of the regulatory regimes.
  • The Conference observed that in  building e-readiness capabilities, students and teachers in our institutions should be equipped with necessary skills and knowledge for learning in an e-environment.
  • Access to educational technology infrastructure for teachers has to be expanded through on-going investment in computer networking, telecommunication services, software and technical services.
  • Secondary and tertiary institutions should be better equipped with up-to-date and adequate computing system, networks, connectivity and computer laboratories. Government and private partnership should be encouraged in this regard.

 Election of Officers:

(1) Engr. K.A. Ali, FNSE                                   President

(2) Engr. O.A. Ajibola, FNSE                           Deputy President

3) Engr. M.B.Shehu, FNSE                            Vice President

(4) Engr.(MRS) Mayen Adetiba, FNSE                                “                                   (5) Engr A. O Mokuolu, FNSE                                               “

(6) Engr. Tunde Ajanaku, FNSE                     Executive Committee Member

(7) Engr,(Mrs)  Valerie I Agberagba, MNSE           “

(8)  Dr J. O. Akanmu, MNSE “

(9)  Aishatu. A. Umar, MNSE           “

(10) Engr (Mrs) I.T.Ihenachor, MNSE                       “

(11) Engr.Adeyemi Kings, MNSE

Engr. Fyne Chima Ogolo, FNSE

Executive Secretary

Are You An Engineer If You Don’t Pass The P.E.?

My Engineers
-
0
Are You An Engineer If You Don’t Pass The P.E.?

During the course of his 55-year career, Burton Siegal has assembled a resume that would be the envy of most design engineers. He’s been awarded 123 patents, has been nominated for the National Medal of Technology, received a Distinguished Alumnus Award from the University of Illinois’ College of Engineering, designed a part of the Surveyor cameras that traveled to the moon, and served as a consultant for IBM, Ford, Chrysler and countless other major corporations.

Unfortunately for Siegal, the state of Illinois isn’t sure he deserves to be called an engineer. Because Siegal isn’t a certified Professional Engineer (P.E.), the state’s Department of Financial & Professional Regulation is investigating him for the unlicensed practice of engineering. Siegal’s attorney says Illinois has asked him to “show cause” to prevent it from levying a “cease and desist” order that would stop Siegal from using the term “engineer” or “engineering” on his business card or in his company’s name. Siegal sees the matter as a cruel irony, especially since he is an engineering graduate of the University of Illinois.

“For them to take him on is shocking,” says Cristofer E. Lord, who is serving as Siegal’s attorney. “He’s been a practicing engineer, consultant and inventor for a very long time.”

Siegal is also devastated by the turn of events, not only because it affects his company, Budd Engineering Corp., but because he says he has never held himself out as a P.E.

“In a half-century, I not only didn’t claim to be a P.E., I never even allowed anyone to make the assumption,” Siegal says.

As distressing as the case is for Siegal, however, it poses bigger questions for manufacturing and professional organizations. Governing bodies say state legislation is necessary and important. Industry organizations, meanwhile, worry cases like Siegal’s could set a precedent. If Siegal is not recognized as an engineer, states could force thousands of manufacturing firms to remove the term “engineering” from their company names and might even tell hundreds of thousands of engineering graduates to remove “engineer” from their business cards.

“There’s definitely a concern here,” says Mark Denzler, vice president of government affairs for the Illinois Manufacturers Association. “This situation is a test case for the departments of professional regulation. It’s very possible that there are other Burt Siegals out there who could come under the same scrutiny or face similar ramifications.”

Running ‘Afoul of the Law’

Illinois’ investigation began after Siegal had a payment dispute with a client in 2003. When the dispute escalated into legal action, the state caught wind of it and a member of its registering agency visited him, he says.

“A representative of the Department of Registration rang our doorbell,” Siegal says. “She told me I couldn’t use the word ‘engineering’ in my company name.” (Contacted by Design News, the state of Illinois declined to comment on the case, saying the matter was still under investigation.)

To be sure, experts say there is good reason for such action. States control the practice of engineering for the public good, providing safety for users of engineered products and maintaining a standard that’s in the best interest of the profession.

Moreover, experts say, states don’t arbitrarily examine company records in search of those who don’t have certification. The sheer number of uncertified engineers makes such action impossible. By most estimates, less than a third of all graduate engineers ever obtain P.E. certification. According to 2006 statistics published by the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE), the number of P.E. licenses in the U.S. is approximately 740,000, with many engineers holding two or more licenses (in multiple states). In contrast, American universities graduate approximately 70,000 engineers per year, and many experts estimate U.S. schools have granted more than two million engineering degrees in the past 30 years. For those reasons, agencies don’t even attempt to weed out corporate engineers who haven’t passed the P.E.

“As a practical matter, state licensing boards do not go after engineers in industry who use the term ‘engineer’ on their business cards,” says Arthur Schwartz, deputy executive director and general counsel for the NSPE. “If you’re working for Microsoft, and your business card says ‘John Smith, engineer,’ then there shouldn’t be a problem with that.”

Schwartz adds, however, that state boards do not want engineers without certification to “hang out a single” as consultants.

“If you hold yourself out as offering engineering services and you’re not a P.E., then you will run afoul of the law,” he says.

Rising Concerns

Manufacturing organizations, however, worry state agencies are crossing a slippery slope when they go after the likes of Siegal. Siegal, they say, represents a huge contingent of engineers in manufacturing who never bothered to take the P.E. because it didn’t seem to have relevancy to their jobs.

“If it’s their intention to ensure all consulting engineers have a P.E, then they need to broaden the exam to be more all-encompassing,” says Robert Chalker, a director of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). “Right now, the P.E. is very heavily weighted toward the mechanical and civil engineering worlds.”

In Illinois, many engineers in the manufacturing community felt they were exempt from the Professional Engineering Practice Act, based on their reading of a provision that grants an exemption to “services performed by employees of a business organization engaged in utility, industrial or manufacturing operations.” For decades, Siegal has believed that exemption applied to him.

Manufacturers say they’re concerned the lack of an exemption in Siegal’s case could carry over to them. If it did, many small manufacturers would suffer, they say.

“A lot of companies have the word ‘engineering’ in their company names,” Denzler says. “If they have to change their names, it could have a negative influence on their businesses. It could also call into question a company’s integrity or its ability to get the job done.”

In Siegal’s case, manufacturers are concerned such damaging decisions could be made on the basis of a test that they believe has limited relevance, instead of on a “body of work” in the manufacturing community.

“Here’s a guy who has sent equipment on Apollo missions,” says Brian McGuire, executive vice president of the Tooling and Manufacturing Association. “Do you really want to get in a discussion about whether he’s qualified to call himself an engineer?”

The P.E. Dilemma

What’s at Stake

> Manufacturers are concerned thousands of small companies will have to take the term “engineering” from their company names.

Points of Contention

> Should the P.E. exam be changed to reflect more manufacturing-related expertise?

> Should an engineer’s “body of work” be considered for certification?

Source: DesignNews

A Lesson From Top Nigerian Entrepreneur , Florence Seriki: Start Small, Grow Big

My Engineers
-
0
A Lesson From Top Nigerian Entrepreneur , Florence Seriki: Start Small, Grow Big

Omatek Computers Plc http://www.omatekcomputers.com/ is the first factory to locally assemble computer cases, speakers, keyboards and mouse in Africa . The birth of this factory came after the initial launch of the locally assembled Omatek Computers in 1993 in Lagos by Omatek Ventures Limited. In November 2005, Omatek Computers beat 42 other countries to win the “Microsoft Best System Builder Award for West, East and Central Africa “. Omatek is a conglomerate of four companies. We also have a factory in Ghana .

Background
I read chemical engineering at the University of Ife now Obafemi Awolowo.

Starting out
While I was doing my national youth service in the 1980s, I discovered in the office I worked that the computers on the directors’ desks were often covered up. Once the secretary was not around, the boss could not work on the computer. So I told my boss, “Sir, I used a personal computer to do my project, can I teach you how to use the computer?” My boss asked if I really could and I said yes. So, I taught my boss. He told another director, who told another director. Some of them then told their friends in other organisations that there was a corps member that could train them on the use of computer. That was how I started training executives on the use of the computer, then staffs of banks, oil companies etc.

Before I finished as a youth corps member, I opened an office in Lagos Island where I employed people. I trained them to train other people. I realised many companies did not have enough computers. I saw an opportunity so I started initially by buying foreign brands and selling to my customers.
Up to 1992, key computer buyers in Nigeria were banks and oil and gas sector. They were buying only finished products. The oil and gas companies were buying only from their offshore companies. Therefore, there was no opportunity for Nigerians to sell to them.

I started a joint venture with two Nigerians. Thus, we got concessions for oil companies to do business with us but we were required to have off-shore affiliates.

Manufacturing
Some of our affiliates would couple the computers up a little bit and then ship them down here. We would then complete the coupling. When I discovered that some big names in the computer industry were going to Asia to set up factories there, I decided to bring the factory to Nigeria , to Africa .

I sourced funding from the Small and Medium Enterprises Equity Investment Schemes (SMEEIS) funds. By 2003, we graduated to a completely knocked down factory with funding from two banks. We sourced the SMEEIS funding because we wanted to stand with the big companies such as Dell, HP in terms of quality. Our raw materials are sourced from the best manufacturers in Asia . So, we need factories here for moulding, design, nails, screws etc to promote local content.

Challenges
Every raw material in computer production is produced by different companies. The first and second factories of Omatek are the case and speaker factories while the third and fourth factories are the PC and notebook factories. The challenge is that there are different factories for different components. These factories are graded in low level, middle level and high class level manufacturers.

The pursuit of our vision drove us to high class level of manufacturers. Thus, we had to start buying in very large quantities. Huge funding was therefore required. It is to sustain the quality for which Omatek is known that we went to the Nigerian Stock Exchange and raised funds.

Future prospects
We want to become the clear leader in the African ICT Industry by the year 2010.

Advice
When we started there were no SME funding schemes. We were doing quality delivery per order. We ploughed back the profit so the business grew and this created a relationship with our bankers. It was because of this trust that we could approach banks for funding and thus became recipients of the SMEEIS funds from two banks. For SMEs to get the attention of big companies, the following are pertinent: quality of presentation, marketing tactics, hard work, funding and aggressive sales.

Even though I was already making a lot of money selling foreign brands of computers, I still took up the challenge of moving on. I did not have a Godfather or Godmother but I had God the father. Omatek was able to get quoted and listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange because the books were in order.

Family life
In spite of my busy schedule, I assist my children with their homework and cook my husband’s meals. A woman that wants to go to the next level must balance family life and business. Even if a woman is busy, the man married a wife and she is still the mother of her children. The home must never be sacrificed on the platter of success.

Author of this article: OLUYINKA ALAWODE

Nigerian Society Of Engineers At 50: The Challenges, The Prospects by Bello Gwarzo Abdullahi

My Engineers
-
0
Nigerian Society Of Engineers At 50: The Challenges, The Prospects by Bello Gwarzo Abdullahi

“Just as by standing on the shoulders of giants we can become even bigger giants, so it is that by climbing on the spires of skyscrapers, engineers can reach for ever taller skyscrapers. If this be hubris, it is an admirable trait that has, on balance, led to cumulative progress in which engineers and non engineers alike take pride.”—By Henry Petroski in “the Hubris of Extreme engineering”

The above quotation is an encouragement to engineers to think big and act big in their attempt to radically change society for the better. It is also saying in another way that the feat so far achieved by engineers is a clear demonstration of the almost unlimited capacity of human brain to bring about innovative changes. According to Microsoft Encarta 2008 “ Engineering is the term applied to the profession in which knowledge of the mathematical and natural sciences , gained by study, experience and practice, is applied to the efficient use of the materials and forces of nature.” The outcome of whatever engineers make is a function of many contending factors and must be attuned with the existing physical, political and social infrastructure. In other words the socio-economic, cultural and political factors must come in to play. But the success of any venture be it social, religious, economic, developmental etc is achievable when a combination of factors that are mutually complementary are well thought-out.

For scientific and technological processes to gain ascendancy in our clime certain salient issues have to be played out.

This piece intends to focus on issues that necessitated the formation of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) in 1958, its successes and failings and the way forward. In doing this a number of issues will be raised with a view to addressing the present problems based on the historical perspectives and in the light of paradigm shifts in policies and programs of government. A brief history of the NSE, its major achievements so far, the challenges it faced and is now facing and a way forward based on the realities on the ground would be tackled.

BRIEF HISTORY OF NSE

The NSE was formed by 32 radical young engineers and students in London. It was a patriotic move to resist discrimination and seek enhanced opportunities for the Nigerian engineer. That period was the eve of independence and the Nigerian engineer was not finding it easy to effectively carry out his functions based on the subordinate status and discrimination he was going through. That epoch making gesture of NSE formation has now culminated, after fifty years of strenuous efforts in to a very formidable corporate body of more than 20,000 members. Science and technology as the fulcrum of modern human development is a direct function of the societal norms, values, mission and vision of those in the position of leadership. This is why the development and consolidation of the successes of the NSE follow closely the overall perception of the leadership and by extension the followership in the context of a complex polity.

In the light of the aforesaid one may be tempted to ask “how far has the NSE gone in addressing the vital issues affecting engineering in its entire ramification? Has the response shown by the government positive? And to what extent has the society in general and engineers in particular aided or abetted the realization of the set goals of NSE? These and many other questions will be tackled as we explore the NSE at 50.

MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS OF NSE

The COREN decree of 1970 as amended in 1990 is a veritable weapon for ensuring that engineering is practiced in accordance with the laid down regulations. Needless to say the regulation of engineering practice is better left to the experts who can operate within the laws of the land. The decree and its amendments were the culmination of efforts geared toward putting the Society in good stead and in line with the internationally accepted standards. It is noteworthy that it took 12 years before the promulgation of the decree by the General Yakubu Gowon regime. It was also only in 1990 another 20 years when other members of the engineering family-technologists, technicians, craftsmen and consultants were incorporated with the amendment of the decree. The establishment of council and secretariat went through metamorphosis over the years to reach the present state. Though the struggle to gain societal recognition is a continuous exercise but the deft move by some of the past presidents to reach out to government and to use whatever influence they could garner paid up handsomely. In this respect the name of Engr. Khalil Inuwa is worth mentioning. His tenure witnessed an unprecedented rapport with those in power which was utilized for the benefit of the Society.

The settlement of debt and the full cooperation of government and its agencies facilitated the completion of modern engineering centre in Lagos. Also the enforcement of the law that for an engineer to reach level 12 in the civil service he/she must be registered with COREN. Also the thorny issue of graduateship exam for HND holders was resolved and this was followed by the amendment of COREN decree. The number of engineers who were ministers assisted greatly in this respect.

A good lesson that could be learned and applied is the creation of a favorable situation through persuasion and action by engineers that they mean well for this country and if given the opportunity they posses the wherewithal to change this country for the better.

The various efforts of governments over time toward the development of the society have demonstrated quite clearly how a combination of leadership qualities and policy outline has assisted greatly in the achievement of set goals. For instance though Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Directorate of foods, Roads and Rural infrastructure (DFFRI) were established to address specific problems the PTF was a resounding success due mainly to the widely acclaimed leadership qualities of General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd). That clearly vindicated the opinion of people like Alhaji (Dr.) Aminu Saleh (the Wambai of Katagum) who is of the view that for any interventionist measure to succeed the “normal” bureaucracy has to be sidelined and a high measure of independence has to be given to the operators to dissuade any form of interference. More importantly the head of any such venture must be someone highly principled and respected who proved his worth over time and who is not ready to compromise his hard won reputation. To me, such action boils down to what is called situational management-look at the problem and proffer a solution based on the variables on ground.



FAST AND PRESENT CHALLENGES

The battle cry of the Nigerian engineers for recognition by the British colonial government led to the formation of the Nigerian Society of Engineers. Based on the current realities one can say, with measure of certainty, that colonial mentality is still very much with us and seem to defy solution. Foreign contractors and consultants will just be given contracts and consultancy jobs with little input from Nigerians. These so-called consultants are no match to their sidelined Nigerian counterparts. It is a very sad issue and it shows how unwilling we are to solve our basic infrastructural problems. Due to this many brilliant students are forced to look elsewhere instead of “wasting” their time in studying engineering. So many countries who were our contemporaries have gone far in terms of development leaving us with un-implementable policies. This sorry state to me is not the government problem alone but can be put at the doorstep of engineers who are not proactive and who seem to be oblivious of the negative impact of their actions to the development of this country. Our senior engineers revel in grand self-delusion

WAY FORWARD

In the NSE newsletter of January, 1987 Engr, Ife Akintunde said and I quote “All the advice of the NSE in its twenty-eight years of existence and eighteen years of annual conferences has fallen on virtually deaf ears of the governments. Otherwise, Nigeria would not be the huge accumulation of the technologies of others which it is today…Only the first of her steel plants and oil refineries would have been accomplished through the know-how of others; she would have been turning out her own model of cars, wagons and electric gadgets…” This statement made some twenty-one years back is still quite apt and vividly describe the situation Nigerian engineers have been grappling with for a very long time. The question is after fifty years of existence as a technical society how do we tackle this problem of nonchalant attitude that has been militating against our society and by implication the whole nation? Do we just fold our arms and allow this to continue? If not what pragmatic approaches are we to make in order to turn the table for the better? In tackling some of these questions let us briefly look at the agenda of the 30 Years Ahead Committee Report on some of the problem areas listed thus;

· “The prevailing situation is that foreign engineering companies have undue advantages over their Nigerian counterparts in the award of consultancy and construction contracts, and even in the area of offering technical policy advice to the government. The Society has set itself the task of altering this unpleasant situation.”(p13)

· “It may be necessary to conduct a scientific survey, first, to establish the reasons why there are more engineers in management, academia and consultancy than in construction and manufacturing.”(p17)

· “Industry, agriculture, commerce and academia in Nigeria seem to have no baseline against which to specify equipment and standards for the variety of purposes their businesses and/or studies require…the engineering practice in Nigeria needs to be more effectively controlled and regulated and this can be done through continuing legislations and enforcement thereof.”(p13)

Closely studying the proposals we find them unassailable but remain to date mere pipedreams. The reason for this lies with the level of timidity exhibited by the Nigerian engineer in tackling issues that affect the profession. In our places of work our behavior is more of certificated laborers and not managers of men and materials. We are very good in blaming others for our woes while we are in a position to effectively change things for the better if we insist on doing the right things. Our senior colleagues seem not interested in bailing us out as they engross themselves in buttering their bread. They are unmindful about the implications of their actions on the profession and on themselves when they finally retire. Other engineers who are contractors, consultants or politicians are not doing much to encourage the younger ones. The results of all these actions produce a docile group of professionals who feel helpless in a country that need their input if it is to achieve its developmental goals. Nigerian engineers are left with no better option than to resign to fate.





CONCLUSION

To conclude this write-up let us pause and reflect on the way forward. We need to extricate ourselves from self-pity, docility that pervades our rank and file. We should be ready and willing to serve as vanguard to make engineering vibrant. We need to build bridges with other professional colleagues. Engineers should be involved in politics and assert themselves in any other areas that pertain to decision making. They should be their brothers’ keepers by empowering the younger ones and through continuous process of capacity building. They should never shy away from expressing themselves as their profession remains the most critical to any development. Lastly the powers conferred to COREN by the laws of the land should be enforced so that engineering attains its rightful place in the scheme of things. I say bravo! Let’s brace ourselves to the future challenges and endeavor to utilize the almost unlimited potentials of our profession.

Engr. Bello Gwarzo Abdullahi, MNSE,
Madaki Qtrs.,Gombe
[email protected]

SPEECH DELIVERED BY ENGR. K.A. ALl, FNSE ON THE OCCASION OF HIS INVESTITURE AS THE 26TH PRESIDENT OF THE NSE

My Engineers
-
0
SPEECH DELIVERED BY ENGR. K.A. ALl, FNSE ON THE OCCASION OF HIS INVESTITURE AS THE 26TH PRESIDENT OF THE NSE

SPEECH DELIVERED BY ENGR. K.A. ALl, FNSE ON THE OCCASION OF HIS INVESTITURE AS THE 26TH PRESIDENT OF THE NIGERIAN SOCIETY OF ENGINEERS ON THE 12TH OF JANUARY, 2008.

Let me begin by giving praise to Almighty Allah SWT for His mercies. It is by His Will that we witness another smooth transition in the leadership of our esteemed Society today. We will continuously pray for His infinite mercy in all our endeavours.

I feel extremely honoured and delighted to welcome you all to this auspicious occasion, and to say a hearty congratulation to our great Society as it turns 50 years in February, 2008.

Today marks another milestone in the history of the Nigerian Society of Engineers. Two years ago, I was elected Deputy President. Today I will assume the leadership of the Society. I am indeed humbled by the trust and endorsement by all of you to lead this elite club of the finest in the society.

My dear colleagues, as humbling as this is, the challenge is huge. What I glean from my discussions with most of you and the thinking of the wider society, the expectations are high but with teamwork even the insurmountable can be tackled.

Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, I am very mindful of the tremendous challenges before the Nigerian engineer. We have continuously being confronted with advancing working economies even in the third world. We have experienced several problems of development in our country, Nigeria. We have watched, albeit helplessly as poverty deepens due to declining engineering presence in Nigerian growing cities and mini cities which continuously challenges the relevance of Nigerian engineers in the development of the country.

Most challenging is the near absence of basic infrastructure such as efficient transportation system, (roads, railways), energy, water supply, among others, recognized world wide as crucial to the socio economic development. They are indeed the driving force of development.

While the gaps in the provision of infrastructure are worrisome, the lack of a maintenance culture is even more disturbing. We have also watched helplessly as the investment in infrastructure has continued to decline at all levels of government. Obviously our dream of a great nation will remain a mirage until the issue of infrastructure is addressed.

It has become fashionable to hear our political leaders make reference to the Asian Tigers, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea as models for developing countries but we forget to realize that these countries have achieved these feats because of heavy investment in the provision of basic infrastructure. By extension they have invested in engineering development. That is, however, not the story in Nigeria as funding for infrastructure such as roads, railways, power supply has continued to decline.
Nigerian engineers must face the challenge the issue of infrastructure has posed. First, we must find practical ways to embrace and encourage Public Private Partnership (PPP) initiative in developing our infrastructure. This option seems the most feasible alternative to leverage additional funding. As the wheels behind the economic growth of any Nation, the Nigerian Engineer will have to accept and tailor the PPP options like all other economies are doing.

This calls for government support to the Nigerian engineer.

There seems to be some hope. The seven – point Agenda of the present administration with enormous emphasis on the provision of basic infrastructure, may well be a step in the right direction and compliment the effort by the immediate past administration to actively involve the Nigerian Engineer in national development as enunciated in the White Paper on the Strategic Plans for Engineering Development and Control.

The White paper clearly directed, among other things, that jobs up to N500m should be handled solely by wholly indigenous Nigerian Companies and further stipulates that no expatriate quota be granted for engineering job unless COREN certifies that there is no Nigerian, qualified to do such a job. The policy, when fully implemented, will ensure that our children are guaranteed job opportunities in their own country as is the practice all over the world.

In the year 2000, all the 191 Member states of the United Nations met and set up the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). These Goals which is an expression of a world that is yearning to build a better future and escape from the poverty trap is invariably another direct challenge to Engineers. To meet the goals in 2015, it is imperative that basic infrastructure have to be provided. Engineers, as acknowledged planners, designers and builders must be involved. The future of Nigeria is therefore about engineering.

As the president of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, I must lead the way to address the problem of engineering practice in Nigeria. In this regard, I have a Plan for my tenure which I would like to share with you all. The plan is broad but it will serve as a guide for the next 24 months.
With your support, the Executive Committee will, during my tenure, work closely with COREN and other relevant government agencies to commence the implementation of the White Paper on the Strategic Plans for Engineering Development and Control. This is a strategic way to build indigenous capacities.

We will pursue the development of a Management Information System for the generation of good and reliable data and development indicators to facilitate Impact Assessment and monitoring for each Infrastructure Sectors.

We will take very seriously the Continuing Professional Development for the Nigerian engineer to engender acquisition of knowledge, skills and can- do- attitude. This will require continuous learning and ability to work productively in teams to take an integrated approach to problem solving. The overriding goal of these training will manifest in:

Creativity and entrepreneurship that lead to a proactive recognition of opportunities and subsequent actions to take advantage of them;
A commitment to ethical principles and to personal and organizational goals;
Thoroughness in examining the implications that engineering projects have for the health, safety, and welfare of the public.
My immediate predecessor identified the need for continuing professional development and established a School of Engineering Practice. The philosophy of the scheme will be vigorously pursued in collaboration with all stakeholders so that the Nigerian engineer will develop the right skills to compete globally.

We will continue to encourage various branches of NSE to promote the objects of our profession, and to reach out to the Local Government Councils to ensure that the planning and execution of projects at that tier of government meets the desired engineering standard. Branches of NSE must take deliberate steps to support the development of the rural areas of Nigeria.

My esteemed colleagues, it is time for engineers to take ownership. In the words of the outgoing President of the American Society of Civil Engineers Marcuson III:
Take ownership of public policy, seek resources to solve our infrastructure problems, and define a national timetable for action.
Take ownership of public safety, health and welfare by always making yourself heard when something looks as though it might not be safe, even when the probability of failure is small.

Nigerian engineers can no longer be yes people. Those of us who work as government servants are paid to give sound advice and expert opinions to decision makers. When a decision is made that flies in the face of public safety, engineers must challenge that decision.

Our responsibility to render ethical decisions to protect the health, safety and welfare of the public must be instilled in our students today, for they will be tomorrow’s engineers.

The NSE in the next 24 months.
At the beginning of my speech I congratulated us all on the forth coming 50 year anniversary celebration. The Society has really grown and today there are over 50 Branches spread across the nooks and crannies of Nigeria. There are also 18 Divisions covering the diverse disciplines of the engineering profession. What are the roles expected of these branches and Divisions of NSE?

Divisions of NSE
The Divisions of NSE are the engines of professional growth. The much cherished professional development of the Society can only succeed with vibrant Divisions. In the last few years some of the Divisions of NSE did extremely well. We will further encourage all of them to bring out programmes that will further strengthen the practice of the profession. The Divisions should take advantage of the newly established NSE training school to organize workshops and seminars. They must aim at producing engineering codes and standards.

NSE Facilities
Let me congratulate my predecessor for the giant strides in completing the National Engineering Center, Abuja. We will ensure effective maintenance of the facility and initiate the development of the second phase during my tenure. In the same vein, we will continue to maintain and manage the National Engineering Centre, Lagos. The Council of NSE has approved the extension of NEC Lagos through a lease agreement with a Developer. My EXCO will act swiftly on this matter so that the Society can derive maximum benefit from the agreement.

International Activities
While NSE will focus on its activities in Nigeria, we shall not forget our role in the international arena i.e. our participation in the World Federation of Engineering Organizations, WFEO, and the Federation of African Organizations of Engineers, FAOE.
The WFEO
The WFEO is an establishment of UNESCO aimed at promoting the engineering profession internationally. Over the years NSE has participated actively in the affairs of WFEO and today Nigeria is co hosting the WFEO committee on Women in Engineering. This is a no mean achievement. My EXCO will strive to strengthen the international committee to place NSE on a stronger footing in WFEO.

The FOAE
The Secretariat of the Federation of African Organizations of Engineers, F AOE, has for many years been hosted by the Nigerian Society of Engineers. Let me publicly commend Engr. Olu Awoyinfa, FNSE, who for many years was the Secretary General of FAOE and during whose tenure tremendous success was achieved. He has voluntarily retired and has passed on the baton to our own indefatigable Engr. Felix Atume, FNSE, mni, as the new Secretary General of FAOE representing Africa as an International Member of WFEO. I pledge to support the activities of FAOE to serve the African sub region better.

NSE Secretariat
The Secretariat is the engine of NSE as it is involved in the day-to-day implementation of the Society’s programmes. We shall make efforts to improve on the working environment. We shall also promote hard working staff in addition to encouraging them to acquire higher skills. Courses will be organized in-house to equip them for higher productivity. While we shall apply the available resources to improve the welfare of staff, my EXCO will not tolerate indolence. The Executive Secretary will continue to enjoy the cooperation of my EXCO and in return we shall expect him to evolve effective strategies to implement the decisions of Council of NSE at all times.

Appreciation
I have a humble family background. I was not born with the proverbial silver spoon. I went through school by the special support of my parents and other relatives and the sponsorship of the old Benue State Government. I thank all those who were involved in my early education.

As a Civil Servant, I came across a wide spectrum of Nigerians who assisted me in one way or the other to succeed. They are too many to mention but God knows I am indebted to all of them. But let me specifically mention the Executive Secretary of FCDA, Engr. M.S Alhassan FNSE, who has supported me to this level. The present Honourable minister of the FCT and the previous ones all gave me their support to succeed. I thank them most sincerely.

The journey to the Presidency of the Nigerian Society of Engineers began many years ago. I served in various Branch executive positions and Council committees before I was elected Chairman of Abuja branch, and for many years I was a member of Council of NSE. From there I contested and won election into various positions, climaxing in my election at our Annual General Meeting in Kano, 2 years ago, as Deputy President. Along the line, I was assisted by many engineers. I thank all of you most sincerely.
The past Presidents of NSE have always been my inspirations. Many of them have honoured this occasion. I greet you Fathers of NSE. My relatives and my close friends and Associates have traveled far and near to share in my day of honour; I thank you all warmly.

Engr. O.W Uzebu, FNSE, my elder brother who has always stood by me is in charge of the arrangements for today’s occasion. I am greatly indebted to him.
The representatives of the Ghana Institution of Engineers, the Sierra Leone Institution of Engineers are here to celebrate with me. I am indeed honoured by your presence.

To the members of staff of NSE Secretariat, I want to assure you that your show of solidarity will be reciprocated. Someone has always taken the brunt of my participation in the activities of NSE. Sometimes I am out of my base, for a long time on NSE assignments. That person holds forth under all odds. She is my wife, Hadiza. I hope I will enjoy even more support in the years ahead. I am indebted to you.

God almighty is entrusting the running of this great Society in my weak hands, but as He promised in the glorious Qur’an Surah 2 v. 286: Allah burdens not a person beyond his scope… May His will continue to be done in our individual lives, the live of our great Society, and our nation. I thank you all.

Engr. K.A Ali, FNSE
President- NSE

1...1,2051,2061,207Page 1,206 of 1,207