Solve Nigeria’s Power Problems, FUTA VC Challenges Engineers

The Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, FUTA, Professor Adebiyi Daramola has called on the country’s electronic and electrical engineers to take up the challenge of solving the many challenges in the power sector. The Vice Chancellor threw the challenge when the National Executive Committee of the Nigerian Institution of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (NIEEE) paid a courtesy call on the management of FUTA recently.

Daramola lamented the incessant power failure in the country saying the situation has caused a number of industries to fold up while some had relocated out of the country. He said members of NIEEE by their training are better positioned to play a pivotal role in the current efforts by the Federal Government to ensure adequate power supply in the country. He said “there are many other alternatives to power generation aside hydro power. Your body should strive to make use of all available alternatives to fix the problems associated with power generation and distribution. I am sure if this is done, Nigeria will become an industrial giant in Africa and globally. You are key to our operations. Let us work together as partners to transform our energy sector.”

Professor Daramola, represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academic, Professor Adedayo Fasakin appreciated the body for recognizing FUTA for partnership and reaffirmed FUTA’s leadership position in cutting edge technology and training of needed manpower. He said the uniqueness of FUTA in collaboration with relevant stakeholders has made the institution a reference point. Prof. Daramola said “FUTA is very unique in collaborating with local and foreign institutions. This has made the NUC Secretary, Professor Julius Okojie to ask other Universities to emulate FUTA. FUTA is being used as a benchmark because of the high standard which we try to maintain”.

Professor Daramola commended the role of NIEEE as an arm of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) and promised to be part of the forthcoming Conference to be hosted in Akure in October. According to Daramola “a University cannot exist in a vacuum. There must be interaction between the University and the industry because a University is expected to proffer solution to the problem of its environment and beyond. Based on this fact, we have keyed into the plans of the industry by training graduates for them. We are proud that our products spread all over the world are doing wonderfully well. One of them is your National President.”

Corroborating the Vice Chancellor, the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Development, Professor Tolulope Akinbogun and Dean, School of Engineering and Engineering Technology, Professor M.O. Alatise emphasized the importance of NIEEE to national development. Prof. Akinbogun said “Electrical Engineering and other Engineering courses are like Medicine because of their importance to the economy”. Professor Alatise thanked the National President, Engineer Makinde for supporting the School and said “We look forward to better relationship in the future. We are proud of you as our alumnus.”

Earlier, the National President of the body, Engineer S.A. Makinde (fnse) who is also an alumnus of the University commended the effort of the Vice Chancellor and the giant strides the University has attained under his watch and assured him of the readiness of his Institution to identify and partner with FUTA.

According to him, one of the key mandates of NIEEE is to make power, telecom and allied services more functional in Nigeria. He identified power as a major challenge facing Nigeria’s industrialization and said the body he leads is not relenting on improving on stable power supply. To this end, Makinde said NIEEE regularly organizes specialized lectures, workshops and training to proffer solution to the challenges faced by its members, especially on how to improve power, allied products and sciences.

Speaking further, Makinde intimated Professor Daramola of NIEEE’s forthcoming International Conference to be hosted by the Akure branch between 14th and 17th October, 2014. He said “For this Conference, there is a need for an increased presence of our colleagues to benefit from the current trends and innovations in our field. We also want to partner with FUTA, staff and students in electrical engineering and related fields for a successful programme.”
The NIEEE team, led by its National President, Engineer S.A. Makinde included Engineers Adegboyega Adeleye, Kehinde Temikotan, R.A. Adenekan, E. Akinwole, O. Olaniyan and Williams Abe. The team was received by the FUTA Management team, led by Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academic Professor Adedayo Fasakin, Dean, and academic staff of the Department of Electrical Engineering.