Minister's response after the NSE's President's presentation.
A delegation of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) led by its President, Otis Anyaeji, paid the former Lagos State Governor a courtesy visit in his office on Tuesday, this week, 1st November 2016.
After a detailed Presentation by the NSE President (copy already forwarded to all members & placed on both the Society's website and NSE's Facebook Page), the Hon. Minister stated below, inter alia:
1. The only reason why Government awards contracts to foreign investors is because Nigerian Engineers are not 'good enough'.
According to him, 'If homegrown Engineers were any good, the Federal Government won’t be running after their foreign peers', says Fashola.
“If there was no vacuum, there would not be foreign engineering consultants and contractors in Nigeria.
“Unless we honestly stand up and accept that there is a vacuum, we look in the mirror and tell ourselves that we honestly do not like what we see, it will not change”, said Fashola.
2. Local Engineering firms can’t even put a bid together.
“I can tell you from experience that when I was a State Governor, when I advertised for rail project, no Nigerian firm bidded for it,”Fashola revealed.
3. Nigerian Engineers can’t stop our shine
“Government will not stop the development of the country, if local Engineers are not ready,” Fashola said.
In other words, he’s got no patience for the Nigerian Engineer.
4. Accept your deficiencies.
Fashola also said Nigerian Engineers need to take a long, hard look at themselves in the mirror, accept that they are not good enough and try to improve.
“Nigerian Engineers should accept their deficiencies”, Fashola pronounced.