Engineers task FG on patronising Nigerian cars, harp on standards

THE Lagos Chapter, Nigerian Institution of Mechanical Engineers (NIMECHE) has appealed to the Federal Government to purchase madein-nigeria cars for political office holders and its agencies, to revamp the automobile industry.

The chapter Chairman, Abdulganiyu Tiamiyu, made the call on Monday at a press conference and training organised as part of activities to mark the 2022 Engineering Week of the institution in Lagos.

Tiamiyu said government policies on the automobile industry were not consistent, thereby affecting its growth locally.

He called for a review of the nation’s Automobile Policy to make federal government and its agencies purchase and use made-innigeria cars.

This, he said, would encourage other citizens to patronise the sector. He said that the Nigerian Society of Engineers and its divisions had been clamouring for the federal government to make the local content laws more viable.

According to him, they can do this by engaging local engineers and patronising home made products.

“Government policies are usually partially implemented or not implemented at all.

“That is why we are calling on more engineers to go into politics; it is government policies that have affected the automobile industry,” he said.

Tiamiyu said the theme for the 2022 Engineering Week dealt with the adoption of standards in all sectors in the nation, to reduce all forms of accidents and disasters.

He said that on Tuesday, experts would speak on “the consequences of using sub standard spare parts for vehicle maintenance”.

The chairman said experts from transportation and other sectors, including the Standards Organisation of Nigeria and other industries, would profer solutions to issues of standards enforcement in Nigeria.

He listed other programmes lined up for the Engineering Week to include elders forum on Wednesday and Annual General Meeting on Thursday.