Works Commissioner Enjoins Engineers To Prioritise State Over Personal Gains In Discharging Duties 

By Daniel Bebia

Cross River State Commissioner for Works, Hon. Pius Ankpo has charged the Nigerian Society of Engineers to prioritise the overall development of the State over personal gains should they be engaged in the Government's quest to bringing government closer to the people through infrastructure development.

The Commissioner gave the admonition when the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Calabar Branch, paid him a courtesy visit in his office, Calabar.

According to the Commissioner, most governments resort to making use of foreign expatrates due failure of the indigenous Engineers in upholding their professional ethics.

"The problem of decay in infrastructure boils down to the quality of materials used. Some of the problems are caused by Engineers. We have derailed from the ethics of our profession; that is why we have some of the deficiencies in our infrastructure, because if somebody tell you let us do a 5cl for a job whereas it is designed to be 15cl and you condescend to that, whatever happens to the road is on your head."

Hon Ankpo used the medium to call on all practising and intended Engineers to consider the ethics as paramount before venturing into the field, adding that until we live in accordance with the laws of nature which are: truthfulness, honesty and sincerity of purpose, nothing good works for you.

"Some Engineers have been running from project to project without anything to show because we have derailed from our practice. We have to go back to our ethics and be deliberate in what we want for our dear country," Ankpo advised.

Emphasising on the all-inclusive policy of the Senator Bassey Otu's leadership, the Commissioner called on NSE to be ready to contribute their quota for the betterment of the State, knowing that no man is an island of knowledge.

The Commissioner hinted that the Governor is putting everything in place to ensuring that the State economy bounces back, while restating the Otu-led administration's commitment to give to the state a positive image through infrastructure development.

He assured the team of his determination to surpass the expectations of the public by ensuring the best infrastructure for the State, noting that the onerous task requires the collective efforts of both government and NSE, while insisting on them to bring to bear their professional ingenuity in the development of the State.

Speaking, the branch Chairman, Nigerian Society of Engineers, Engr. Desmond Ewa represented by the immediate past branch Chairman, Engr. Ndifon Agbiji said the visit was necessitated by the Society's resolved to identify with the Commissioner and congratulate him on his appointment.

He said the choice of the Governor in appointing Hon Ankpo was apt owing to his youthfulness, energy, sophistication, commitment and other attributes that stood him in good stead to contribute his quota in moving the state to a higher pedestal.

Engr. Agbiji thanked the Governor for his keen interest in developing the State as demonstrated in his appointment of a young persons to contribute to the progress and development of infrastructure.

He inferred that the visit was also expedient to seek partnership with the Ministry in line with the Executive Order (5), which concerns itself with "The involvement of indigenous Engineers in the everyday practice in the engineering projects," signed into law by the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria.

"The Engineering theatre is domicile in the field. We have two universities with strong facilities of engineering, in the state and every other day we producing graduates. The implementation of the Executive Order (5) will aid in providing a training ground for our graduates/undergraduates.

He appealed to the state government to see to the welfare of the organization by providing a bus for them.