By Timothy Ekpo
UYO
The Akwa Ibom government has directed indigenous engineers who performed excellently to mentor the younger ones as a means of producing competent hands that could be relied upon in the discharge of their duties.
The governor, Pastor Umo Eno, announced this when he received the national executive of Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) in Government House, Uyo, as part of the society’s national retreat which took place in the state.
Represented by the deputy governor, Senator Akon Eyakenyi, the governor stated that his administration was collaborating with engineers in the state to ensure that the youths are gainfully employed.
“Apart from the engineering sector, it cuts across most of the things the present administration is doing to ensure that our youths are taken off the streets and gainfully employed in various ways”, he stated.
Eno told the group that the training and equipping of engineers is at the forefront of his administration as a means of supporting them to excel in their chosen fields.
He tasked the NSE to exhibit uttermost professional conduct in the discharge of their duties to guarantee standard in job delivery.
“Engineering profession stands out on its own. In everything that you do, whatever structure or project that you handle, there’s no way you will not have an engineer. They involve one way or the other, particularly in road construction.”
Earlier in her speech, the president of the society, Mrs Margaret Aina, said they were in the state for their retreat and appreciated the governor for the warmth reception accorded them on their arrival to the state.
She described the NSE as the umbrella organization of all engineering practitioners in Nigeria and thanked the government for being so receptive in the development and growth of engineers.
“I want to thank the governor, first, for implementing the Grade Level 9 entry point for engineers.
“We are aware that some states have not yet implemented this but Akwa Ibom State was one of the first states to implement that order”, she said.
She expressed satisfaction over projects carried out by the indigenous engineers, adding that it was an opportunity to grow the capacity and capability of the Nigerian engineers.
The NSE president maintained that the state government has provided the enabling environment for the engineers to thrive.
Ainah stressed that her plan is to upskill and train more engineers during her administration as the president of NSE and solicited for government support in the area of training the young engineers.
In attendance were the permanent secretary, directors, vice presidents of NSE, executive council members as well as chapter chairmen.
The governor assured the group of government partnership in the involvement of the execution of projects in the state.
Eno explained that the engineering profession could not be underestimated in the effective and efficient standard required in job execution and applauded the outstanding performance of engineers and encouraged them not to relent in their performances.
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