~ You have made the Engineering Family proud in Nigeria – COREN, NSE to Gov. Umahi
Governor David Umahi of EBONYI state has revealed the secret behind his performance in governance as recorded in the state.
The governor who spoke during a courtesy visit by the council for the regulation of engineering in Nigeria and Society Of Engineers at his country home, Uburu, Ohaozara local government area, disclosed that, the secrets were the mercies of God, the grace of God, fear of God and having passion for the people.
The governor explained that 95 percent of the jobs in EBONYI state are done by direct labour through the ministry of works and the ministry of infrastructure and concession as a way of empowering Ebonyians in job creation.
Governor Umahi noted that 99 percent of the state fund circulates within the state as the jobs were being handled by Ebonyians instead of foreigners and advocated for vocational schools in each of the political zones of the country to ensure adequate training of present-day engineers as a way of getting out of the avoidable mistakes often perpetuated in the profession which according to him are very detrimental to the society.
He charged the council for the regulation of engineering in Nigeria to ensure that the profession is well protected from untrained and erring engineers by way of discipline.
His words, “I thank you for the inauguration of the council for the regulation of engineering in EBONYI state but I want to demand something.
“I think the business of engineering is a very serious one. The doctor makes mistakes, he goes out of it, life is lost but in our case, we are like the pilot, we are all in danger with the passengers. If an engineer makes mistakes it goes down with other worries.
“So we should have in each of the political zones, a kind of vocational school where we can use these regulators to offer retraining of our engineers. What we learn in school these days is so frightening and when I look at it I feel worried.
“These are the people that design our bridges. These are the people who build our airports and so on.
“It is a thing of concern,and we have to do something about it”.
“We have to train them with an iron hand. Because a young man now, if I ask, why is it that they don’t want to work, but they want the money? they say, they are millennium children.
“They believe that everything belongs to them and they don’t want to work for it.
“You see resident engineers, you post them to site, you see that these people will never be there. You suppose to be there and if you don’t participate as if you are the contractor handling the job, you can never learn anything because you are not meeting any challenge”.
Earlier, in their separate remarks, the National President of Council for the regulations of engineering in Nigeria, Engr. A.A Rabiu and the National President, Nigeria Society of Engineers, Engr. Babagawa Muhammed who led other members to inspect some projects had explained that they were in EBONYI state to inaugurate the state branch of the regulating body and commended Governor David Umahi for his outstanding performance in developing the state.
They described what they saw at the project sites as marvelous. They described most of the projects executed by the Governor as exceptional and the best across Africa, noting that Governor Umahi has made the Engineering Family proud in Nigeria.
“We are totally surprise at what we have seen in Ebonyi state because of the man piloting the affairs.
“He is a qualified registered engineer by calling and a fellow of the Nigeria society of engineers.
“You have made the Engineering Family proud in Nigeria
“We are surprise also that what we have seen in Ebonyi were not seen in other states and we wonder what is the magic?
“Much as we believe that the magic may be due to the fact that the driver is an engineer, David Umahi has other special qualities. He is a man of vision and only a man of vision can do these things happening across the whole state. Engr. Umahi need to go higher beyond Ebonyi state to replicate what he has done.
“He should be made a teacher to teach other governors in Nigeria”.
Some of the projects visited by the council for the regulations of engineering in Nigeria include; Shopping Mall, Ecumenical centre, International airport and college of medicine,Uburu,among others.
