ShareTHE national President of the Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE), Mr Olumuyiwa Ajibola, has identified government’s lack of confidence in the competence of indigenous engineers as the bane of the practice of the profession in Nigeria today.
He said this negative mindset was a major hindrance to building the capacity of Nigerian engineers.
These were his comments while fielding questions from journalists at a press briefing which was part of activities to mark the 50th anniversary of the Ibadan branch of the NSE.
Mr Ajibola, speaking further on the issue of lack of confidence in local expertise, said: “It is a very poor mindset for any nation to disregard local expertise, because no country can be developed except by its own people.” He said contracting foreigners for developmental projects came at higher financial costs to the nation and was a hinderance to indigenous engineers to developing their skills.
As a solution to this problem, Ajibola, who is rounding up his tenure as president, stated that local content policy should be made mandatory in the nation’s development programmes.
It will be recalled that the Nigerian society of Engineer was founded in 1958, with the formal branch being the Ibadan branch coming to life in 1961.
This branch recently held its election with Mr Gbenga Ilori emerging as its newest chairman, in an transition process described by foremost engineer and founding father of the society, Chief Ife Akintunde, as rancour-free.
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Lack of confidence, bane of engineering practice in Nigeria – NSE President