The Nigerian Institution of Water Engineers (NIWE), a division of Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) on Wednesday night inducted 23 of its members into its fellowship category.
The National President of NIWE, Mrs Chinyere Igwegbe, performed the induction at NIWE’s Seventh Fellowship Conferment Ceremony in Abuja.
Igwegbe said that 17 of the 23 members got the conferment based on application while six received it on merit.
“We conferred it on them because of their enormous contributions to the institution and the water sector in Nigeria.
“My charge to them is that they should know that they are ambassadors of NIWE; so, wherever they go, they must talk water, protect water and represent the institution.
The President of NSE, Mr Tasiu Gidari-Wudil, said that the conferment was the last segment of the Fifth NIWE International Water Conference.
Gidari-Wudil said that he believed that the conference achieved it purposes and it was necessary to recognise those who deserved it.
“In the process of developing water resources, many professionals are involved.
“You can’t collect data without the input of electrical engineers and you cannot analyse data without a data analyst,” Gidari-Wudil urged.
One of the conferees, Dr Gina Ihekweme, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that she was delighted.
“To whom much is given, much is expected; I will put more efforts toward technological advancement of the nation, especially as regards water infrastructure, purification and challenges associated with water.
“We can’t do without water because water is life.
“As a new fellow, I and my other conferees will work with the institution to ensure that it is respected and Nigeria and Nigerians at large benefit from the Institution,” Ihekweme said.
Mr Sylvester Anjekele, who also got the conferment, said that it meant much to him.
“We hope to do better. We need to improve the lives of young engineers and improve ourselves,” Anjekele said.
In a lecture he delivered, Mr John Onwualu urged collaboration of engineers with relevant stakeholders and professionals for efficiency.
Onwualu said that an engineer must involve a surveyor in design.
“After you finish your design and implementation, it is good to go and monitor what has been done to see if the design is effective and efficient.
“If it is not working, then you make modifications to have a perfect design.
“NIWE should keep striving to get more members. The conferees have become ambassadors to the institution; they should train the younger ones and lead them by example.
“The new president should go higher and make the institution one that will be the envy of other institutions in NSE,” Onwualu said.
NAN reports that the ceremony attracted officials from NSE, Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria, Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria and other associations. (NAN)