The Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) on Friday agreed to technical partnership for sustainable growth of the nation’s marine and blue economy.
NSE President, Mrs Margaret Oguntala during a courtesy visit to NPA’s Managing Director, Dr Abubakar Dantsoho in Marina, explained the importance of engineering excellence to the marine and blue economy sector.
She used the occasion to invite the NPA boss and his team to the society’s forthcoming 2025 NSE International Conference in December, tagged “Engineering Innovation for a Sustainable Blue Economy”.
Oguntala said that the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Mr Adegboyega Oyetola is being expected at the event scheduled for December in Ibadan.
She called for partnerships in the conference and urged Dantsoho to be a lead speaker, while urging NPA to sponsor the technical sessions for knowledge sharing about the marine and blue economy.
The president also offered NPA an opportunity for exhibition, while announcing the number of NPA engineers for nomination to serve on the conference planning committee.
Oguntala, a fellow of NSE, explained industrial, government and academic collaborations the society has undertaken and the strategic importance of having NPA as partners.
“We know your efforts in building the aquatic economy of Nigeria.
“And we do know that we cannot have that kind of conference without having you play a very vital and critical role.
“We are not seeking sponsorship. We are seeking your partnership because we expect that we should co-host that kind of conference with that kind of theme.
“The marine and blue economy is the way to go now. It’s the future. And it’s a sector that is not open yet to many people who do not understand it,” she said.
She explained the spread of various engineering arms in 93 branches across sectors in the nation and in the diaspora and the impact they were making to national development.
The President also addressed issue of entry level for graduate engineers raised by professional engineers working in NPA.
She explained the legal and administrative steps taken by the society towards upgrading minimum entry level for engineers in public service and in NPA to level 10.
Oguntala who is the first female president of the 67-year-old society, explained her five pillars agenda including capacity building and collaboration with institutions for Nigeria’s growth.
NPA Managing Director, Dr Abubakar Dantsoho, said 70 to 80 per cent of personnel and operations of the ports revolves around engineering and engineers.
Dantsoho assured collaboration with the NSE to move Nigeria forward, while giving examples of countries who made remarkable progress through partnership with its engineers.
The NPA boss said that the collaboration will be beneficial to the NPA while listing various arms of engineering professionals engaged in the services of the authority.
He explained the importance of engineers’ expertise in engineering and technical services in port operations and services.
