The Nigerian Institution of Mechanical Engineers (NIMechE) on Monday said it was adopting measures to correct poor maintenance culture and assets decay affecting the nation’s development.

NIMechE Lagos Chapter Chairman, Mr Abdulganiyu Tiamiyu, made the statement at a news conference in Lagos to announce the association’s Engineering Week.

He said that several national and state assets were wasting and the trend must stop.

Tiamiyu said the Engineering Week lecture with the theme “The Role of Mechanical Engineering in National Assets Maintenance and Management” was chosen to address the situation.

“It is a major problem in Nigeria that we don’t have maintenance culture. There are so many national assets, state assets that belong to government and invariably belong to me and you that are being wasted, and these are the assets that are revenue generating.

“So, we are looking at this as a major factor that if when addressed can have a positive impact on the development of our nation,” he said.

The chairman said senior members of the association and top engineering experts had been carefully chosen to x-ray and proffer solutions to the issues during the lecture on Tuesday.

Tiamiyu said that after the press conference, the association would embark on Technical/Courtesy visit to Nigeria Railway Corporation Yard in Ebute Metta.

He said government had made recent efforts towards revamping the nation’s railway sector, hence the visit for the association to have first hand knowledge on operations and maintenance.

“Our plan is to visit the facility and see how they have been taking care of their facilities and machinery to ensure that these assets are well maintained and well managed for our national use,” he said.

Tiamiyu said poor maintenance culture had been the bane of the nation’s development, adding that, the lecture would also address issues of wasting public buildings and other infrastructure in Lagos and Nigeria.

He said that during the public lecture on Tuesday, oil and gas experts would also tackle issues of infrastructure decay causing importation of petroleum products.

He said that the association, also on Tuesday, would be showcasing agricultural invention of one of its members, Mr AbdulWahab Ogunbiyi.

He said that the machine was invented for mechanised agriculture beneficial to the nation, hence the need to showcase the technology to attract industries for commercialisation of the machine.

He said that finals of the Young Engineers Essay Competition, with prizes and awards for winners,would also hold on the same day.

The NIMechE boss said Thursday was reserved for Elders’ Round Table and the Annual General Meeting.

He reeled out achievements of his administration, including capacity development for all cadres of mechanical engineering and welfare programmes for members. (NAN)

Source: News Agency of Nigeria