The Engineer

Official e-newsletter of The Nigerian Society of Engineers

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Nigerian Engineers get Governing Council to tame Sahara Desert

to drive it to fruition, all for the purpose of positively impacting the economic and social lives of the people around the corridors of the desert region and the entire African continent in general. General TY Danjuma, Chairman of TY Danjuma Foundation, while inaugurating the Governing Council and Boards, lamented how the pioneer leaders of independent Africa started the discussion to build a trans-Saharan highway over 50 years ago but failed to execute the project.

From left: President, of NSE, Engr. Mustafa Balarabe Shehu, FNSE; Chairman of T.Y Danjuma Foundation, Gen. T.Y. Danjuma, GCON and Founder of Fight Against Desert Encroachment (FADE), Dr. Newton Jibunoh, OON.

He expressed delight that Nigerian Engineers The NSE on 28th January, 2013, launched a have now moved to tackle the menace successGoverning Council and saddled it with the re- fully. sponsibility of reclaiming territories under the threat of desertification. The Council which will I am enthused and encouraged to see that this operate through Boards has been specifically is a challenge which the Nigerian Engineering mandated to deploy modern technology to turn fraternity has taken on with no other outcome the Sahara desert to a green land of abundant in mind but to conquer the desert and bring the opportunities for Nigerians and other Africans dreams of our fathers to reality he noted. living in the area. The Sahara superhighway according to him will
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Minister of State for Works, Ambassador Bashir Yuguda in a remark at the event disclosed that the Federal Government is already committed to the trans-Saharan road which Dr. Jibunoh challenged the NSE to take over the transverses six African countries namely; Nigeria, Algeria, Chad, Mali, Niger and Tunisia. project which he had nurtured for about forty years

NSE-TAD (Nigerian Society of Engineers Taming African Deserts) is fallout of a relationship between the NSE and Fight Against Desert Encroachment (FADE) which started in 2011 at the National Conference of the NSE held in Tinapa Resort, Calabar, in Cross River State. At that event, Dr. Newton Jibunoh, OON, founder of FADE made a presentation on the project of bridging and greening of the Sahara desert.

open the landlocked countries such as Niger, Mali and Chad and boost trade and cultural exchange adding that the project has the potential to create millions of jobs directly and indirectly for the teeming restive unemployed youths across the continent.

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From left: President of NSE, Engr. Mustafa Balarabe Shehu, FNSE, Minister of State for Works, Ambassador Bashir Yuguda; Chairman of T.Y Danjuma Foundation, Gen. T.Y. Danjuma, GCON and Founder of Fight Against Desert Encroachment (FADE), Dr. Newton Jibunoh, OON.

Shehu, FNSE, in his acceptance speech as the Chairman of the Governing Council, disclosed that the occasion was the first crucial event signaling the involvement of the NSE He assured of the Federal Governments sup- in the fight against desertification since the port to the NSE-TAD urging the involvement signing of a Memorandum of Understanding of players in the private sector to speed up between the NSE and FADE-Africa which event held at the majestic palace of the Emir the project. of Kano on Thursday, 18th October, 2012. Dr. Newton Jibunoh, OON, founder of FADE decried the hardship Africans are currently He thanked Dr. Newton Jibunoh for agreefacing due to the devastation caused by des- ing to serve on the Council as Vice Chairertification. He expressed fear of worsening man, saying that the transition has to be condition leading to mass migration with its gradual and members need to tap on his experience, wisdom and goodwill to make the attendant crisis as well as food insecurity. programme succeed. He therefore emphasised speedy steps to Engr. Shehu listed the terms of reference of tame the degradation and the provision of inthe council which include: Sustenance and frastructure to improve the wellbeing of the actualisation of the primary vision of FADEpeople. Africa using NSE-TAD as the special purHe reiterated the confidence that the NSE pose vehicle and conceptualisation of the has the capability to bring the project which overall framework and configuration of prohe embarked upon in the last forty years to jects necessary for connecting all regions of fruition. Africa including measures of sustainable afPresident of NSE, Engr. Mustafa Balarabe forestation of desert areas. Ambassador Yuguda mentioned that the road is a very big project which when completed would promote culture, trade and unity within the African continent.

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He also highlighted the plan for creation of the framework necessary for large scale provision and utilisation of energy which is readily available from the desert sun and wind, as well as from rivers and waters of Africa, noting that this will invariably translate to promoting economic development within the African continent.

med Namadi Sambo, GCON. NSE is making efforts to link up with this Committee so that the NSE-TAD project and that of the Federal Government of Nigeria will complement each other.

Therefore, on behalf of the Governing Council of NSE-TAD I hereby express our willingness and readiness to deliver on this laudable project for the benefit of Nigerians, Africans Engr. Shehu also said that the Council will and the entire World Community. We can liaise with relevant heads of governments, achieve these set goals with your unalloyed international and regional agencies, and or- support he concluded. ganisations with similar interests for their collaboration and support. Other expectations from the Council according him are: development of a long-term implementation roadmap from the present to year 2050, exploration of avenues of sourcing finances locally and internationally, to be used in realising the projects, attract local and international stakeholders who will cooperate with NSE-TAD to promote relevant projects, establish, coordinate and monitor steering Boards, Committees and Working Groups to enable it perform its functions effectively. He further disclosed that the NSE, in recognition of the global impact and magnitude of this project, will continue to solicit the support of the West African Federation of Engineering Organisations (WAFE0), the Federation of African Engineering Organisations (FAEO) and the World Federation of Engineering Organisations (WFEO) towards its realisation, while not forgetting the importance of the support of the government of Nigeria. Towards this, we are aware that the Federal Government of Nigeria has set up the Sahara Green Wall Committee, headed by the Vice President, His Excellency, Arc. Moham-

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O. T. Otis Engineering, Tados Nigeria Ltd. Donate Towards WEC 2014

O. T. Otis Engineering and Tados Nigeria Lim- (WFEO) in a letter dated 27th September, 2012 ited have set the ball rolling by making gener- granted NSE a tacit approval to host WFEO Exous donations towards the hosting of the World ecutive Council meetings and the World EngiEngineering Conference (WEC) for 2014. neering Conference on Infrastructure Development from 2nd to 7th November, 2014 in Abuja. While O. T. Otis Engineering donated N2 million (two million naira only), Tados Nigeria Limited made a donation of N1 million (one million The Executive Secretary of NSE gave an indication that the Society is determined and commitnaira only). ted to provide the necessary facilities and logisThe President and Council are deeply apprecia- tics to ensure safe and successful hosting of the tive of the donations and have opined that early Conference. He therefore encouraged individual donations will go a long way in enhancing plans Members and corporate organisations to support the Society by sending in their donations and confor a successful Conference. tributions to facilitate early planning.
The World Federation of Engineering Organisation

NEWS FROM BRANCHES AND DIVISIONS

ABUJA BRANCH: The NSE Abuja Branch presents 3-day training on the Use of Civilsoft Series 7.8 (newest version) for Structural Analysis, Design and Detailing. Features: Model your structure with ease View your model in 3d Analise and design the whole structural elements in a click Export a detail drawing of the drawing to AutoCAD in a click Generate bending moment and shear force diagrams Generate calculation sheets in Microsoft word in a click Generate the bar bending schedule in a click Fees: Student/Graduate Members (Training +Installation of Special Edition) = N50,000.00 Corporate Members/Fellows (Training +Installation of Special Edition) = N60,000.00 Non-Members (Training + Installation of Special Edition) = N70,000.00 All payments should be made into the Account of the NSE, Abuja Branch: Bank UBA Account number 1000883022 Sort Code 033081148 Date: 25 - 27 February, 2013 Time: 9.00am daily Venue: FCDA Site Office, Beside Dantata & Sawoe (By old CBN Junction), Garki II, Abuja Enquiries: 08060037227, 08099864696

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Agric Engineers Hold Conference, Elect New Executives

The National Institute of Agricultural Engineering, a Division of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, has held its Conference and Annual General Meeting. A statement from the National Chairman of the Division reveals that new officials were elected at the event to steer the affairs of the Division as Executive Council members for a new tenure. The statement reads:

New EXCO for Agricultural Engineering Division

This is to notify you of the new Executives that emerged during the election conducted at the NIAE Conference and Annual General Meeting held at the Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi, in Nov 2012. The list of the officials is as follows: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. Prof. B. A. Adewumi Engr. Dr. Shuabu M Musa Engr. Prof. S. Z. Abubakar Engr. (Dr.) M.A. Enaboifo Engr. J. C. Adama Engr. Bala Gambo Jahun Engr. (Mrs) C. A. Adamade Engr. Dr. M. K. Othman Engr. Sabiu Bello Engr. (Mrs) Nneka I. Nwagugu Engr. Y. K. Dalha National Chairman Nat. Vice - Chairman Immediate Past Chairman National Secretary Asst. National Secretary National Financial Secretay Nat. Treasurer Publication Secretary. National PRO Ex. Officio Ex. Officio

Please update our records accordingly. Thanks. Engr. Prof. B. A. Adewumi, FNSE, FNIAE National Chair, NIAE

PublishedbyMediaandPublicationsDepartment, NigerianSocietyofEngineers
EDITOR: AbdulkadirAliyu

CONTACT: media@nse.org.ng aliyu.abdulkadir@nse.org.ng BranchandDivisional Chairmenshouldcontactuson theiractivitiesforpublicationinthenewsletter.