Engineering key to sustainable development –UNN V

VICE Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), Prof. Charles Igwe , has said that engineering remains the key to the sustainable developmentof the country.
Igwe made the remark yesterday inNsukkawhen participants of three-day International Engineering Conference on Sustainable Development paid him a courtesy visit in his office in UNN.
Royal Academy of Engineering United Kingdom and its affiliate, ESUT-HEPSSA Project in collaboration with Department of Metallurgical & Material Engineering and Department of Biomedical Engineering UNN had organised a three-day International conference tagged, “Engineering for Sustainable Development.”
The VC said that with sustainable development in energy the problems of other sectors of the economy would improve.
“For sustainable development to take effect in any economy engineering has a major role to pay. For instance, we have highest solar energy in Africa, but the problem is harvesting and putting it to use because of lack of technological nohow.
“Israelis live in a desert land, but today they export food items to other world,
whereas Nigeria blessed with fertile land import food items and can not achieve food security because of lack of sustainable development in agriculture,” he said.
Catriona MacArthur,
the International Development Manager of the Royal Academy of Engineering UK, who joined the conference virtually said that sustainable development in engineering would improve the energy sector and fast track development in different sectors of the economy in Nigeria.
“This collaboration will not only help to achieve sustainable development in engineering but will also result in quality engineering education in Nigeria. The Academy will continue to organise conference, workshops and training that will equip engineer with relivant knowledge on achieving sustainabledevelop- ment.”
Prof. Paul Nnamchi, Head of Department Biomedical Engineering UNN and Coordinator of Royal Academy of Engineering, ESUT-HEPSSA Project said the conference was targeted at providing opportunity for students, farmers small scale business owners others to meet stakeholders, brainstorm on the fundamentals, applications and products from various fields.