WELCOME ADDRESS AT THE INAUGURATION OF THE NSE IKEJA BRANCH ADHOC COMMITTEE ON PRESIDENTIAL POWER INITIATIVE BY Engr. Tosin Ogunmola, Branch Chairman
The President of the Nigerian Society of Nigeria (NSE), Engr. Babagana Mohammed, FNSE;
Past President of the NSE, Engr. Ademola Isaac Olorunfemi, FNSE;
Chairman of the Adhoc Committee, Engr. Olu Ogunduyile, FNSE;
Distinguished Members of the Adhoc Committee;
Gentlemen of the Press;
Esteemed Ladies & Gentlemen.
It gives me great pleasure to welcome us all to this occasion of the inauguration of the NSE Ikeja Branch Adhoc Committee on the Presidential Power Initiative, which was occasioned by the appointment of our President, the President of the NSE, Engr. Babagana Mohammed, FNSE into the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) of the Presidential Power Initiative by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR.
The struggles of our dear country with the generation, transmission and distribution of stable electricity over the years and the impact on our growth and development have been far-reaching. It would seem that all efforts at creating an enduring framework on this all-important sector of the economy have proved abortive, hence the need by the President of the Federal Republic to set up the SPV as an entity that would oversee the overall activities in relation to power projects as an important to rejig the government’s commitment to firmly redirect engagements in the sector towards getting the desired result from all the initiatives and projects.
It is instructive to note that the President of the NSE is the only head of a Professional Association that is appointed to this high-profile and all-important SPV. This singular act by the President of the Federal Republic accentuates our determined resolve to ensure Engineers take their due place in matters of national development.
It is an unassailable fact that, “without Engineering, civilization does not exist”, and so, if our dear country must turn the corner of 21st century civilization to become a modern economy, the engagement of Engineers on critical national assignments cannot be overemphasized. And we are glad that the President’s appointment gives confidence that the government of the day appreciates this critical point.
The appointment of our President places the responsibility on us all as Engineers to rise to the occasion and rally round the President in the discharge of his duty on this all-important national assignment. This informed the decision of the Executive Committee of our Branch, the Branch to beat, to set up this Adhoc Committee of eminent experts in the Power sector consisting of Top Executives of major stakeholders in the sector with the mandate of deriving a position paper of technical propositions and advisories that will serve as a primary guide to the SPV in carrying out its mandate towards the realization of the objectives of the Presidential Power Initiative.
The Branch appreciates the Chairman and all members of the Committee who have accepted to serve in this capacity, bringing on board their wealth of experience to ensure our contribution to the nation in this regard is as robust as ever. We also look forward to contributions from other members of the Branch who are also in the sector and trust that our position paper will have far-reaching impacts both on the work of the SPV and the power sector as a whole as we look forward to the period in the not-too-distant future where the power sector will play the key role of facilitating accelerated industrialization and thereby boost real economic growth and development in the country.
The Committee of nine distinguished members will have three weeks to put forward the Position Paper, which thereafter be presented to the President at the NSE HQ.
I welcome us all to this august event and wish us a productive session.
Thank you.