The University of Lagos (Unilag), has announced that the institution is working at setting up a conventional, standard locally-build refinery with the aim of boosting the nation’s refinery capacity with funding from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Bank of Industry (BOI).
The University’s Vice Chancellor, Prof Oluwatoyin Ogundipe made this announcement at the 1st Annual General Meeting (AGM) and 2nd Alumni Lecture of the University of Lagos, Faculty of Engineering Alumni Association.
Prof Oluwatoyin, said that as an institution that has produced graduates in Chemical Engineering, students of the school needed to be exposed to the refining process of petroleum products.
In his speech, he said, “A committee has been set up to under-study the process from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. If you go to some of the universities in Texas, when their students graduate, because they have refineries in their universities they do not need to do certain courses when it comes to professional courses.
“Engineering has left that level of just sitting down and starts computing. It is now about turning ideas into realities. It is about producing entrepreneurial skills and developing the skills in the life our students. We need to develop our students, all of them have skills that are unique to them, and the skills can help them set up their own businesses in future. Most of our students can develop applications, while some are with different skills. As a Vice-Chancellor, faculty by faculty, I am going to interact with students to encourage them, to develop their skills and we have already gotten the commitment of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, and Bank of Industry, BOI for funds.”
Also, at the event, Mr. Dideolu Falobi, Managing Director of Kresta Laurel Limited called for reforms in Engineering Faculties of Nigerian universities while harping on the need for Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria, COREN, Nigerian Society of Engineers, NSE, to show interest in Engineering students and young engineers.
In his keynote address, titled “Alumni Association: A veritable tools for networking and promotion of professionalism”, delivered at the occasion, he said, “There is need to ensure that Engineers only serve in Engineering Institutions and companies during National Youth Service Corps, N.Y.S.C. Return of post-graduation training/education to create parity with other professions like Medicine, Law, and Architecture among others, enforcement of wage parity with other professionals during and after N.Y.S.C.”
Source: Sahara Reporters
