Construction industry stakeholders recently converged in Lagos, at the 6th Nigerian Construction Industry Hall of Fame to brainstorm and proffer solution to challenges bedeviling the industry, just as the organizers of the event – Century 21 Systems Communication and Construction and Engineering Digest (CED) Magazine conferred merits on corporate and individual professionals of the built environment who have distinguished themselves in practice.
A statement from the organizers said, the “Nigeria’s Construction Industry Hall of Fame, is an initiative of Construction Industry Hall of Fame Development Foundation, hosted by Century 21 Systems Communication Ltd., and powered by Construction and Engineering Digest (CED) Magazine, the pioneer-built environment professional publication in Nigeria since 1992.”
According to the organizers, the event aims to recognize outstanding professionals and corporate organizations that have contributed to the rich infrastructure history of the country despite the challenges.
“It is designed for the sole purpose of giving recognition to outstanding innovations, achievements, efforts and professionalism of practitioners and key players in the Construction, Building, Engineering and related sectors, both in the public and private sectors; and to encourage more value adding initiatives and efforts in such areas mentorship, advisory towards the growth of human capital and the country.”
Vice President, World Federation of Engineering Organizations (WFEO), Engr. Mustafa B. Shehu, noted that COVID-19 pandemic has exposed Nigeria’s inadequacies in human capacity projects such as developing our own contents in terms of making use of what we have to develop building construction and materials as well as employ professionals and also train more individuals to become professionals so as to operate the imported technology.
He said the building capacity of Nigeria must be enhanced in order to create more employment opportunities, as the pandemic poses a lot of reduction in foreign businesses due to limitations and movement and travel restrictions across the globe.
According to him, the built environment is the foundation on which the nation is built. He called on professionals to effectively contribute to the nation’s developmental process.
President of Estate Surveyors and Valuers, Esv. Emmanuel Okas Wike said “until you tell someone what you do and how you do it, nobody is going to consult you,” adding that professional in the built environment must endeavour to blow their trumpet by themselves.
President, Nigerian Academy of Engineering (NAE), Engr. Alex Ogedegbe, stressed that Nigeria should export less petroleum and use the main stream sector to build gas pipelines and refineries in order to be self-sufficient and improve our economy.
Special Assistant the Governor of Lagos State on Works and Infrastructure, Engr. Mrs. Aramide Adeyoye who represented Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, highlighted the challenges the State faced during the covid-19 pandemic and some of the strategies adopted to curtail it. She said “the unexpected emergence of the corona virus in Lagos on Thursday, February 27, 2020 as a 44year old Italian man was quarantined after being identified and certified positive which unfolded a lot of activities in the health sector at the Federal and State levels and necessitated public briefing to enlighten residents on measures put in place to promote public health and safety through the enforcement of stay-at-home rules and emphasized on the need to maintain and keep social distancing”.
The Governor stated that the corona virus pandemic struck at the time when the administration had just commenced rehabilitation works on strategic roads and also embarked on infrastructural projects to make Lagos State Africa’s Model smart city and a global financial hub.
He said in combating the COVID 19 Pandemic, government created innovative means of job execution through digital work force solutions which helped companies to automate administrative functions in the public and private sector, thereby reducing the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.
He explained that government also provided safety kits, measures and protocols for workers especially front-line health workers. Governor Sanwo-Olu quoted Charles Darwin as saying that ‘it is not the strongest of the species that survive nor the most intelligent that survives, it is the one that is the most adaptable to change.’
The Governor charged players in the construction industry to adapt to the “new normal.” He commended and appreciated the foundation for considering him worthy of being inducted into the Nigeria’s Construction Hall Of Fame, stating that this induction will continue to be a symbol of encouragement to the state to raise the standard obtained in the provision of infrastructure in Lagos State.
Deputy Managing Director, Inter-Bau Construction Limited, Mrs Doris U. Mbadiwe emphasized the need to encourage the feminine gender in the construction industry by advocating for women to be given flexible working hours in order to attend to the home front and not to neglect their family obligations. She appealed to construction companies to create day-care centers for nursing mothers where they can bring their babies to work, adding that women should not go to remote or certain construction areas especially sites that are far away from home.
Other dignitaries in attendance include minister of Water Resources, Engr. Suleiman Adamu, who was represented by Mr. Olufemi Odumosu, General Manager, Ogun-Osun River Basin Authority. Deputy Managing Director, Inter-Bau Construction Nigeria Limited, Mrs Doris U. Mbadiwe; President of Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS), QS. Mohammed Abba Tor, FNIQS represented by the deputy president of NIQS, Qs. Shonubi M. Olayemi; Director General, Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute (NBRRI), Engr. Prof. Samson Duna, who was represented by Engr. Dr. Friday Apeh and Esv. Emmanuel Okas Wike, President of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV).
This year’s edition being the sixth in the series witnessed thirteen inductees which comprises of eleven built environment professionals and two corporate inductees; among the inductees are The Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Engr. Prof. Samson Duna; Engr. Mrs. Aramide Adeyoye, Engr. Suleiman H. Adamu, Engr. Mustafa Shehu, Engr. Dr. Samuel K. Ilugbekhai, Engr. Olutola Gbuyiro, Engr. Dr. Alex Ogedegbe, President of Nigerian Academy of Engineering (NAE); ESV. Sir. (Chief) Emmanuel Okas Wike, FNIVS, President, Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV); QS. Mohammed Abba Tor, President Nigerian Institution of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS); Bldr. Kunle Awobodu. The corporate inductees are Kenol Nigeria Limited and Inter-Bau Construction Nigeria Limited.
The biennial event organized by Century 21 Systems Communications Limited and powered by Construction and Engineering Digest (CED) Magazine, started in 2011 and has contributed to the rich infrastructure history in Nigeria despite the key challenges, especially in the areas of policy formulation and agenda setting for the both in the private sector, state and federal government.
The event also witnessed the cutting of the cake to mark Nigeria 61st Independence Day anniversary celebration.
