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By Saby Elemba, Owerri
Chief Engr Emmanuel Iwuayanwu, an industrialist and business mogul recommends industrial revolution and proper engagements of professional engineers in various fields of studies, technologists and scientists as the panacea for the quick and faster recovery of the nation’s economic development.
Iwuanyanwu was speaking at this year’s Engineers Day when the National Leadership of the Association of Professional Women Engineers invested him with their national Grand Patron in Abuja.
Engr Iwuanyanwu said that the nations that have advanced industrially and technologically have always made use of their indigenous engineers in both government and private institutions and therefore called on the federal, state and indigenous and multinational institutions to embark on mass recruitment of professional engineers, to improve the Nigeria’s industrial sector so as to ensure greater uplift of the Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
He pointed out that the nation’s higher institutions of learning, yearly produce well trained engineers and other professionals in various fields of human endeavor but regretted that no provision is made to engage them meaningfully either by employment or soft loans to enable them establish their own mini industries, factories or investments.
Iwuanyanwu recalled his exploits as chairman of Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), when he recruited hundreds of engineers and sent them abroad on training for road maintenance, equipment maintenance and management, noting that today, Nigeria is reaping from the products of those engineers.
Engr. Iwuanyanwu commended the Association of Professional Women Engineers (APWEN) for organising themselves as a body to add quality to the activities of their parent body, the Nigerian Society of Engineers(NSE) of which they are all members including himself.
He enjoined them to use their association to ensure that many young girls are attracted to study engineering courses in tertiary institutions, adding that in many developed countries, women are blazing the trail in their nation’s industrial sectors.
He cautioned that any nation that neglects its engineers does so at its own peril because no nation can achieve faster development without industrialisation, and this he informed, is the bane of most African countries including Nigeria.
The engineering guru and scientist advised the nation’s leadership to ensure the revival of all moribund industries and institutions by handing them over to individuals and institutions engaged in the training of professional engineers and technologists for management.
Iwuanyanwu observed that relying on foreign engineers yields nothing to the nation’s industrial advancement and development, and that no nation transfers its technology to another nation.
He assured the leadership of the organisation of his support at all times, saying that whatever he is today, is through engineering and hard work anchored on his faith in God.
Decorating Engr. Iwuanyanwu as their Grand Patron, the National President of the Association, Engr. Elizabeth Eterigho said that after critical evaluation of all engineers, they found Chief Iwuanyanwu to stand in as their Grand Patron, and above all, Elizabeth said, Chief Iwuanyanwu’s exploits in the engineering profession and love for humanity are yet to be equaled.