Emma Elekwa
A university lecturer, Engr Prof. Ugochukwu Okonkwo has called on federal government to ring-fence 20 percent of every project on laboratory equipment procurement for maintenance, consumables and technician training with feedback reports.
Okonkwo who made the call on Thursday during the 126th Inaugural Lecture of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra state, themed, “The Engineer, Materials and Machines Tributaries with Novelties”, said the recommendation was necessary as students could not study materials and machines with chalk.
He also called for the revival of Ajaokuta Steel Complex with clear timelines, arguing that a 5-year deadline can be set to produce the first one million tons of liquid steel.
Okonkwo, Dean of Engineering Faculty
described engineers as privileged professionals with duty of clothing bare bones of science with life, comfort and hope, arguing that inaugural lecture without recommendations could easily be taken as biography and not a blueprint.
According to him, strong university-industry-research institute synergy and collaboration is needed to ensure that engineering researches carried out will be end-user-driven so that end products will no longer forever be in the laboratories or workshops but be on their way to commercialization.
Local content by 2035
“It is recommended that by 2035, at least 30 percent of machine components in agriculture, oil and construction sectors should be local content, designed and developed by Nigerian engineers.
“Staff of Faculty of Engineering in various universities should be given opportunities to be more involved in the development and maintenance of the infrastructural facilities and projects within the university and in turn the engineering staff should make themselves available and deploy their expertise,” he added.
Earlier, Vice Chancellor, Prof Ugochukwu Anyaehie described the Lecture Series as a declaration of intellectual identity which every Professor looked forward to.
Anyaehie, represented by Deputy Vice Chancellor, Admin, Prof Hilda Osisioma said the occasion offered the presenter opportunity to publicly proclaim academic achievements.
