Transport
Engineers Decry Non-Inclusion Of Colleagues In Ongoing Rail Projects
President, Nigerian Institution of Structural Engineers (NISTRUCTE), Mr Eddy Atumonyogo, has decried the non-inclusion of qualified local engineers in the ongoing nationwide multi-billion naira rail projects.
Atumonyogo rued the development while fielding questions from journalists at a press conference in Ibadan to herald the 2019 Conference of the NISTRUCTE which began yesterday at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan.
The conference has the theme “Structural Engineering in Nigeria-Past, Present and Prospects” Ibadan.
He said such ugly development had further exposed structural engineers in the country to ridicule before their foreign colleagues engaged in capital flight of the nation’s meagre resources.
According to the NISTRUCTE president, the Federal Government would have done better if it had considered the opportunities for the transfer of skills and knowledge to local engineers and practices while negotiating contracts for such massive rail projects across the country.
He said, “In the ’70s and 80s, engineers were carried along in whatever was going on in the country; and you and I know that that has not been the case since the late 90s till date.
“For instance, we have a rail project going on all over the country, Lagos has about seventy percent of our members and it has a massive rail project that is going on from Badagry all the way to CMS, none of our members is involved.
“The Federal Government is undertaking some rail projects which also stretch from Lagos to Ibadan, from Abuja to Kano, from Lagos to Kano, they are all signed with the Chinese Company and contractors on a design build basis and none of our members is involved also.
“So, no experience gained and no economic benefit to the local professional practitioners, these are some of the things we are talking about.’’
Speaking on the menace of collapse structures across the country, the NISTRUCTE President said, the institution has been engaging the government on the issue of collapse of structure.
“Before now, there was no regulation on the practice of structural engineering in Nigeria, so you had all sorts of people designing structures.
“The builders design structures, some civil engineers, who are not biased structurally, design structures because all that they need to do is to go to the local government and get the engineer that has a COREN seal and seal the drawing and calculations sheets and get approval.
“So, we had people who did not have experience in structural engineering preparing structural drawings because in Nigeria we believe that we have been building for a long time and therefore anybody can design and anybody can build.
“And the result has been the incessant collapse of structures all over the nation.
“So, recently, we engaged COREN and they have asked us to go and draft a regulation for the practice of structural engineering in Nigeria, which we have concluded.
‘’And when that regulation is passed into law and signed by COREN, there will be a bit of sanity in the issue of design of structures.
“And if any structure is not designed by structural engineers, it will be very clear to pick out such structures because it will not have approval.
“So, advocacy is what we can do and that is what we are doing. We don’t have any law or any empowerment by the law to go after people and all that,” Atumonyogo said.
Transport
Immigration Steps Up Anti-Touting Vigilance
The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Passports Command, Ikoyi, has increased its surveillance on touting in a bid to check extortion within its jurisdiction.
Speaking in an exclusive chat with The Tide in Lagos, last Friday, the Immigration Comptroller, Passports Office, Ikoyi, Lagos, Deputy Comptroller Liman A.I , said the negative impact of touting on the nation’s economy would not be allowed to continue under his watch.
He said ,”we are applying persuasion, dialogue and seeking the support of all well meaning stakeholders in this area to spread the anti-touting message and dissuade people from unlawful acts. However, we could apply coercive power as the need arises.
“With the selfless leadership shown by the Comptroller General, Alhaji Mohammed Babandede, we at the PCO, Ikoyi, Lagos, have decided to re-dedicate ourselves to duty and complement the efforts of the CGIS.
“We are prepared more than ever to wage the anti-miscreants war relentlessly.
Liman assured the general public of friendly environment for legitimate transaction in an effort to strengthen the national economy, warning deviants to shun touting and other related vices.
According to him, “the command has keyed into the various strategies including the use of ICT in gathering of intelligence, among others.
“The service believes that the fight against miscreants within its corridor cannot be undertaken by the service alone, hence our call on Nigerians to partner with us in ensuring that the passport seekers do not patronise touts to defraud them. Our resolve is unshaken and our commitment is total”.
On her part, the Public Relations Officer of the command, a Deputy Superintendent of Immigration (DSI), Mrs Adetoun Shiyindemi, commended the Deputy Comptroller Liman, for his selfless service, pointing out that he has really given the officers and men of the command a sense of belonging.
“Since the Comptroller came in, it has been a servant-leader relationship here at Ikoyi PCO and we are all motivated to put in our best with what the CGIS has given us, you will see a new immigration service”, she assured.
By: NkpemenyieMcdominic, Lagos
Maritime
Union Urges NIMASA, RSG To Dredge PH/Bonny Jetty
The Bonny Maritime Transport Association (BMTA) has called on the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the Rivers State Government to dredge the Port Harcourt/Bonny Jetty to enhance marine operations.
The union said the low shore of the river hampers its operations and grounds boats.
The Marine Safety Officer, BMTA, Comrade Kings Don, who made the call, said the low shore of the jetty was not helpful to marine operations.
According to him, drivers and passengers find it difficult to ply the route whenever the tide is low, thus wasting man hours.
“Sometimes, we push the boat to a level it would afloat due to low tide suffered in the jetty. We are appealing to NIMASA and the state government to assist and dredge the jetty for more efficiency”, he pleaded.
Don described the Port Harcourt/Bonny Jetty as the gateway to Bonny Island and other riverine communities, and called on NIMASA and the state government to intervene and make the marine sector viable in the area.
He said that the prompt dredging of the jetty would enhance water transportation in the state and improve its revenue generation.
He, however, commended the security agents, especially the Nigerian Navy and the marine police, for rescuing the waterways and creeks from all forms of criminality.
Comrade Don appealed to the security agents to engage in 24-hour patrol of the routes and other channels to save lives and property.
By: Chinedu Wosu
Maritime
Boat Mishaps: Ship Owner Blames Absence Of Safety Regulations
A renowned ship owner in the country, Alhaji Aminu Umar, has decried lack of standardisation and enforcement of safety measures on the nation’s inland waterways by the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA).
He also blamed lack of will to enforce regulations, safety, standard and regulations on overloading, night voyage, rickety and old craft as causes of mishap on the inland waterways.
Alhaji Umar, who is a former president, Nigerian Shipowners Association (NISA), said in Minna, Niger State, recently that enforcement of safety and standard on the nation’s inland waterways was weak.
Reacting to incessant boat mishaps in the country, Umar said, “there is no standard applied on movement of people, as all kinds of boat are being used. It is important that we standardise, because lack of safety and standard will increase accident.
“I think, the task of NIWA is to standardise conditions and procedures on the nation’s waterways”.
He also called for the regulation of movement of badges and passenger boats across the port environment.
“It’s a huge risk allowing badges moving containers around the port area side by side with boats carrying passengers.
“Moving people and containers at the same time is a huge risk, and a safety concern.
“NIWA and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) should see to this and tackle the menace”, he said.
-
Politics4 days ago
LP Petitions SGF Over Alleged Office Vandalism By NLC
-
News4 days ago
Ban On Foreign Trips’ll Save Nigeria N5bn Quarterly -Tinubu
-
Sports2 days ago
Corruption: China Jails FA President For Life
-
Politics2 days ago
EFCC’s Eyes On You, Gov Alia Warns LG CTC Chairmen
-
Oil & Energy4 days ago
Innovation, Key To Sustainable Energy Dev – Stakeholder
-
Sports4 days ago
NWFL:Heartland Queens’ Winger Sure Of Victory Against Abia Angels
-
Breaking News4 days ago
RSG Faults Assembly On Assembly Service Commission Law
-
News2 days ago
NSCDC Uncovers Illegal Refineries In Rivers Forest