Topic: NIGERIAN ENGINEER

I read all the posts here concerning this mind boggling topic that has eaten deeply into the fabrics of our confidence and pride as engineers. Quote me anytime, "the engineering profession is a noble and prestigious profession which is as old as man on earth". However, the question is: The Nigerian engineer- do we really have a stake in the engineering and technological development of Nigeria? Not in a system where every construction contracts are awarded to foreign firms at the detriment of the local engineers who may have the technical and managerial capability, and very efficient in executing same. No wonder, they said 'the prophet is not recognized in his village'. I can only shift my ground for trhe sake of corruption in our soceity, which is a deadly manace indeed!
I'm very happy to learn that the same issue that has kept smoking in my mind is strongly affecting some young erudite engineers like my humbleself. You see, when there is no strong/formidable body or unionism, the system crumbles like a pile of cards. I mean to say, COREN/ NSE have failed woefully in the official discharge of their responsibilities. All they are concerned about is how to collect membership dues while the subject matter lies fallow. As far as professionalism is concerned, they are solely responsible for the accreditation, registration, supervision, control, enforcement, and mobilization of engineering affairs in Nigeria like their counterparts in the developed world. Rather, they have relinguished this onerous tasks and have taken stand with politics instead. "politics is for the moment, an equation is for eternity" -Albert Einstein.
Talking of local content, the expertrate quota is still at a domineering level. What can one say, when the Nigerian immigration service have aided and abeited the surge of expertrates into the country through dubious and fraudulent means for their personal aggrandizement. This -so-called expertrates are better addressed as "craftmen" in their own country. NNPC report of the last 4 years shows that Nigeria had an estimated level of 5% local content in supplies to upstream oil and gas. Whereas, Brazil had 70%, Indonesia-25%, Malaysia-70%, Mexico-largely mexican, and Norway-50%. The effort has been to increase Nigerian content to an appreciable level of 45% by 2007. Currently, Nigeria accounts for less than 20%. The best form of change in any system is: SEE-ACT-DO! We as young engineers know where the crux of the matter lies. Can we arise and do something by ourselves now? Else, posterity will never forgive us.

Plenty to Ponder About