Hamzat, other engineers unveil plans for national infrastructure

Dr Obafemi Hamzat, the All Progressives Congress (APC) deputy governorship candidate for Lagos State, on Wednesday joined other professional engineers in politics to unveil economic, industrial, technological and infrastructure revolution plans for the nation.

The aspirants unveiled the plans at an event organised by all the branches of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) in Lagos, tagged “Celebrating professionalism and politics in nation building: Engineers in Politics Talk Show’’.

Hamzat, a fellow of the NSE, while making his contribution in the panel discussion, said engineering captured every facet of the society.

He said that if elected into the office of Deputy Governor, he was going to utilise his professional expertise to improve the welfare of residents of Lagos in various sectors.

Speaking on health and environmental issues, Hamzat said that the Lagos Waste Maagement Authority had acquired adequate training in the past to manage waste in the state but needed the support of residents.

He said that the waste generated in Lagos was huge and would become a burden if not well sorted, recycled, reused and converted to energy.

“If we cannot use that waste, we would run into trouble. We must start sorting waste from our kitchen.

“The reality is that we must sort. We must evangelize it. Our pastors and Imams must preach it.

“We will use LAWMA effectively, clean up our state, and do things to mitigate climate change,’’ he said.

Hamzat stressed the need to upgrade the 45 primary health care centers in Lagos to cater for minor ailments.

This, he said, would prevent overstretching of the 27 secondary health facilities in the state.

He said that if elected along with the Governorship candidate, they would put in place health insurance that would capture all residents of Lagos for a healthier society.

Hamzat advocated increase in teacher training as well as budgetary allocation to education to address the rot in the sector.

He said the Sanwo Olu administration would also harness the tourism potential of the state.

Hamzat said that tourism accounted for 7 per cent of the state’s GDP.

He also promised to explore technology massively to bring desired growth to small business, housing delivery, land reforms, intermodal transportation network, among others.

A Lagos lawmaker, Mr Gbolahan Yishawu,seeking re-election into the Lagos State House of Assembly to represent Eti-Osa II constituency, urged engineers to partner with their representatives in the legislature for speedy development.

He educated the engineers on his role in the legislative arm of government while supporting intermodal transportation as solution to gridlock in Lagos.

Mr Ganiyu Johnson, a former commissioner for Works and Infrastructure in Lagos eying the Oshodi-Isolo Federal Constituency seat, pledged to uphold professionalism if elected.

Johnson said he was a strong advocate in the campaign for more engineers in politics, to revolutionise the nation’s economy.

He said if elected, he was going to legislate and support all those things that defend the engineering profession, to make sure things are done right.

He said engineers going into politics was the only way they could help in correcting wrongs in the processes of contact awards, implementation and execution.

“With that knowledge, I can impact our profession” he said.

Mr Abu Salami, a former chairman of the Victoria Island Branch of NSE, urged engineers to stop treating politics as a problem that must have empirical solutions.

Salami called for stretching of engineering regulations and implementation of sanctions against erring engineers, to create all-round development and growth in the nation.

Also, Mr Setonji David, contesting in the Lagos State House of Assembly to represent Badagry II constituency, and chairmen of the five NSE branches, among others, took turns to proffer solution for growth in various sectors of the economy.