‘How Nigeria got it wrong in technical education’

When you assumed office two years ago, you spoke of a digital hub project which you said when completed would transform PTI into a technological hub, what is the state of the project now?

We’ve been able to commence the preliminary part of the project. Before now, we were not having intercom. I can now speak to my Director of Library for Information and Technology, colleagues within the administration block, and Data Centre has been improved. The ICT Centre is also back, up and running. The Director of the Library for Information and Technology has given approval to continue with the second phase of the project. At the moment, they are developing the BoQ. Soon, we’ll move to the electronic building where we will have the IBM stand. Microsoft will have theirs as well as Google. But I think we need to contribute more to have a better airport. The Osubi airstrip will not be enough to entertain visitors that will be coming here.

You’ve been given approval to build and commence modular refinery. How much progress has been made so far?

We are collaborating with NigerDock and we have had several meetings. We want to increase the capacity of what we intended to build at first, which would have been atmospheric and vacuum distillation. By this time in our last meeting with NigerDock, we wanted into incorporate the Fluid Catalytic Cracking Unit (FCC) component into it, which is a typical example of the Warri Refinery, such that they would analyse any sample or try any new crude oil. That is the stage we are now. We’ve done all our designs; our designs have been taken to Turkey to be tested. At the moment, we just need NigerDock to be on board so that we can incorporate the FCC.

Is there a time frame for this project?

If I have all the money, the timeline can be given right now. It’s a very expensive project that will take up to N20 billion. We have started discussing with First City Monument Bank (FCMB) and other agencies to provide funding. Until the money is really available, to give you timeline will not be possible.

What are your challenges so far?

There is the global kind of problem, which is funding. Government funding is not very regular. Even when you have appropriation, the money doesn’t come as and when due. You can plan ahead, but your plans cannot be achieved (without money). For example, in 2017, part of the appropriation was released and they said we should spend it within two weeks. If I give you two weeks to carry out a contract of building this place, I’m sure you will not finish it; and if it’s not completed, the money is not out. Yet, we have the whole year for that money to be released. So, that is one of the challenges we have.

• Nigeria’s problem is lack of goodwill, good managers ― Minister

Apart from that, the attitude of contractors is there; we don’t seem to have that sportsmanship attitude or spirit. Let’s say we have two contracts to build this place and another building, you will have 20 people bidding for the two projects. The 20 people want to win the jobs. You give it to two companies and all others begin to petition the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC). It’s a huge challenge.

How will you rate the level of technical education in Nigeria?

When we were young, I knew of the technical colleges we had. I had the option that time of going to a technical college or the conventional Grammar School. I was very much interested in going to technical school, because then, you heard of Ofagbe, Sapele Technical College and lots of them. And when we saw our seniors, we really wanted to be there. After some years, they seemed to have faded away. It’s a great loss.

My understanding of technology development is that you have a skilled worker on the roadside doing the same job everyday for so many years. You get to another level where you begin to see ND (national diploma) and HND (higher national diploma), they’re a bit more corporate. We have to move from there to say B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) where the people should begin to think for themselves; begin to propose technology and we should also move from there to M.Tech (Master of Technology), where technology should be developed. What is wrong if Nigeria is developed, like we see in Silicon Valley? Are we there yet? What do we have? But we are actually equivalent to them in terms of skill level, but we’ve not been able to get to the level of developing technology or proving the theory of technology. The former minister was kind enough to have approved PTI to run MTech. The MTech is not the same as the normal MSc. degree like we have in conventional universities. This is technology-based, and is wired differently. There are some of us that we see the needle, but to put the thread in the eye of the needle will be difficult for some of us. But they can write theory and the grammar of those things. This set of people, you don’t send them to the conventional universities; you leave them where they belong because that is where their skill is. That is where PTI wants to fly its flag at the global scene. Nigeria got it wrong at some point. I remember we have Universities of Technology, but at what point will the degree the conventional universities give be equivalent to the degree technology universities give?

Today, we say B.S or BSc; in the universities of engineering, they are the same. But overseas, if you get to the classroom of a BTech programme, it is different from B.Sc. If maybe they give a course like Thermodynamics in B.Tech/M.Tech, it is different from Thermodynamics in B.Sc. But we seem to be looking at them as if they are equivalent; they are not the same. They could be equivalent in terms of say they are university graduates, but in terms of skill, they are different.