Ex-Governor Willie Obiano
Umahi, Makinde, ‘exemplary Engineers in politics,’ says Anambra Governor, Obiano
[From CHINEDU NWAFOR, Abakaliki]
Chief Willie Obiano has praised Ebonyi Governor, David Umahi and his Oyo State counterpart, Seyi Makinde for being exemplary engineers in politics.
The Anambra State Governor further added that the duo have made engineers proud and urged members of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Awka branch, to emulate them.
Obiano stated this during a special session of the monthly general meeting of Society of Engineers cum technical lecture at Awka.
The event with the theme: “Engineers and Politics: the way forward”, Obiano said with knowledgeable professional Engineers, Nigeria would be industrialized to attain rapid economic growth and sustainable development.
According to him, Nigeria’s socio-economic transformation and prosperity depend on mass industrialization, more so with Nigerian Engineers at the driving seat, insisting that sustainable development would remain a mirage if Nigerian Engineers continue to stay away from partisan politics.
The governor noted that China as a country, massively became a major player in global politics and development today because Chinese leaders had their backgrounds deeply rooted in Engineering, and that the Chinese Gross Domestic Products (GDP) continued to grow because the people at the corridors of power in China were Engineers.
Represented by his Special Adviser on Digital and Creative Economy, Engr. Ifeanyi Aniagoh, said Engineers were charged with role of proffering solutions to problems confronting humanity.
He said: “By the profession training and re-training, Engineers are to proffer solutions to problems confronting humanity and this will lead to developing infrastructure on a larger scale to solve multiple problems in the society and by this, the country is driven to development.
“Even though Engineers keep away from politics because Engineering Principles don’t work with Politics, however, putting the over-riding interest of the end-users in focus is paramount for socio-economic transformation of the country.
“The challenges of power supply, cybercrimes, environmental pollution, Climate Change and other infrastructural problems could be addressed frontally only if Nigerian Engineers offer themselves for elective offices in their various wards, Local Government and State levels.
“For the governor, Engineers are goal getters and result-oriented and if the future of Nigeria is industrialization, it is incumbent upon Engineers to take the front seats in leadership positions across the country.
”Industrialization is about Engineers and Engineering. As Engineers, you need political power to execute beautiful ideas in your various Council Areas.
“And governor Umahi and Makinde, are using their power as Engineers to execute projects and ideas that are currently transforming the lives of their people in their states, just like the infrastructural development that is ongoing in Anambra State, the operational Cargo/Passenger Airport, the ongoing Construction of International Convention Centre and Awka City Stadium.
“So we need qualified and registered Engineers to join the incoming administration of Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, because Engineers are going to get it right in fixing the state to International standard”.
