News
Engineers Advocate Mentorship, Curriculum Review To Stem ‘Japa’ Syndrome
The Nigerian Institution of Mechanical Engineers (NIMechE) last Saturday called for mentorship of the younger generation and review of curriculum of tertiary institutions to curb ‘Japa’ syndrome, mass relocation abroad by Nigerians.
The National Chairman, NIMechE, Mrs Olufunmilade Akingbagbohu, during the Institute’s Fellowship Ceremony in Lagos, said engineering was about solving problems and was the bedrock of development.
Akingbagbohu urged older engineers to adopt and mentor younger ones for them to see opportunities in solving several problems confronting the nation instead of running to other countries.
“We need to encourage them so that they will not Japa but will stay and develop Nigeria,” she said.
She said engineering practice in Nigeria had suffered a great loss due to the curriculum design, which did not capture current realities and technological advancements.
She said, “curriculum should be hands-on and skill-based” and not just abstract and irrelevant old theories.
She said the NIMechE evolved programmes to bring the academia and industry together to close the gap for commercialisation of research works.
She added that NIMechE had begun a mentorship project targeted at training over 5,000 young engineers for the labour market.
She said NIMechE, in its bid to create the right environment for the growth and development, was also building an industrial academy.
The Chairman, Board of Fellows, NIMechE, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ashiru, in his welcome address, said the fellowship conferment was highly competitive as the criteria for selection were stringent.
Ashiru advised new fellows to adopt a lifelong habit of continuous learning, develop soft skills for effective communication and grow capacity in other areas for the development of Nigeria.
“As engineers we should be learning continuously; any one that thinks he knows everything, knows nothing,” he said.
The Guest Speaker, Mr Kunle Ogunbayo, speaking on the theme, “The World is Moving Very Fast – Can We, Or Should We, Keep Pace?,” said new agreements would be reached at the ongoing 28th United Nations Climate Change conference.
He said the implementation of COP28 was always a problem because countries usually considered thier national interests, which ended up subsuming global agreements.
Ogunbayo admonished the Federal Government and local engineers to adopt measures that would make the lives of Nigerians better.
The guest speaker urged engineers to document their codes to preserve their knowledge and experiences for future generations to learn from.
He said currently young people without requisite engineering training were the ones writing codes and algorithms and if older engineers didn’t take urgent actions their knowledge would not be passed on.
“Unless we become active participants in the development of these systems and the eventual transition to Artificial Intelligence enabled systems, the collective institutional knowledge of our firms, especially those of the more senior members of the profession, could be lost,” he said.
The Nigerian rail system generated N1.69billionn in revenue from passengers in the second quarter of 2024, reflecting a 53.14 per cent increase compared to the N1.10billion recorded in the same period of 2023.
This data was disclosed by the National Bureau of Statistics in its report released yesterday.
According to the report, a total of 689,263 passengers travelled by rail in Q2, representing a growth rate of 45.38 per cent compared to 474,117 passengers in the corresponding quarter of 2023.
The volume of goods transported via rail also saw a significant increase, with 143,759 tons moved in Q2 2024, up from 56,936 tons in Q2 2023. Additionally, the Nigerian Railway Corporation reported a volume of 5,940 tons of goods transported through pipelines in Q2 2024, an increase from the 2,856 tons recorded in the same period of the previous year.
Revenue from goods conveyed via rail stood at N537.36m in Q2 2024, a remarkable increase of 206.68 per cent compared to N175.22m in Q2 2023. The movement of goods through pipelines also contributed to revenue generation, with N42.08m collected in Q2 2024, compared to N12.81million in Q2 2023.
Other revenue receipts amounted to N994.68million in Q2 2024, representing a staggering increase of 5,206.68 per cent from the N18.74m recorded in the corresponding period of last year.
In the first quarter, of 2024, The Tide source reported that Nigeria spent more on servicing the debt incurred for building its railways than the revenue generated by its railway system. The country spent 2,470 per cent more on railway debt servicing than it made from revenue from rail services in the first quarter of 2024.
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) says it is committed to advancing projects and programmes that enhance food security and sustainable growth in the region.
Chief Monday Igbuya, the Delta State representative on the NDDC Board, made this pledge in a statement issued in Port Harcourt, yesterday by the NDDC’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Mrs Seledi Thompson-Wakama.
Igbuya spoke at the inauguration of a training and empowerment programme for women and youths in livestock and agro processing in Amukpe, Sapele area of Delta.
He stated that the NDDC was prioritising livestock training in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“NDDC is focussed on implementing programmes to ensure food security and agricultural growth in multi sectors, aiming to improve living standards.
“It is our belief that for socio-economic development to take place, there is need to develop manpower in the agricultural sector,” he said.
Igbuya expressed confidence that training farmers would enhance livestock production, create jobs, and alleviate poverty in the Niger Delta.
Mrs Winifred Madume, NDDC Director of Agriculture and Fisheries, said that training farmers and entrepreneurs was essential for improving productivity and market access.
“The commission has been promoting research and development through various institutions and providing farming techniques to beneficiaries,” she said.
The Project Consultant, Dr Simon Akhaine, said that 200 women and youths had registered for the livestock and agro-business skill acquisition programme.
According to him, the programme aims to equip them with the essential knowledge and skills for self-sufficiency in livestock farming, thereby boosting regional food security.
President Bola Tinubu will not attend the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York this year.
In his stead, Vice President Kashim Shettima will lead Nigeria’s delegation to the annual summit.
Tinubu “wants to focus on domestic issues and address some of the country’s challenges, especially after the recent devastating flooding,” a statement from the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, revealed yesterday.
The statement is titled ‘Vice President Shettima to Lead Nigeria’s Delegation to the 79th United Nations General Assembly.’
It reads, “President Bola Tinubu will not attend the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York this year.
“Therefore, the President has directed Vice President Kashim Shettima to lead Nigeria’s delegation.”
Tinubu, who returned to the country last Sunday after his trips to China and the United Kingdom, “wants to focus on domestic issues and address some of the country’s challenges, especially after the recent devastating flooding,” said Onanuga.
At UNGA 79, Vice President Shettima will deliver Nigeria’s national statement to the General Assembly, attend important sideline events, and hold bilateral meetings.
The high-level General Debate, with the theme “Leaving No One Behind: Acting Together for the Advancement of Peace, Sustainable Development, and Human Dignity for Present and Future Generations,” will run from Tuesday, September 24, through Saturday, September 28, 2024.
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