NIHTE trains 250 engineers to boost infrastructural development in Nigeria

The Nigerian Institution of Highways and Transportation Engineers (NIHTE), in collaboration with the International Road Federation (IRF) has trained two hundred and fifty (250) engineers to enhance infrastructural development in Nigeria, especially road network and bridges.

Speaking at the opening session of the event in Abuja, the national chairman of NIHTE, Francis Oriakhi revealed that their synergy with IRF started about a decade ago, since the inception of the institution, training professionals on roads construction, designs and asset management.

Represented by Hassan Saidu, immediate past chairman of NIHTE, he said, “The cardinal objective of this workshop is to ensure professional development through capacity building and provision of advocacy for our members.

“As part of this capacity-building drive, the institution is partnering with IRF and the fruitful relationship has led to training for about a thousand engineers, as we are still counting.”

Speaking on the theme of the workshop ‘Managing Road Infrastructure Assets for Sustainability’, the chairman underscored the importance of managing Assets to highways in their field works.

He said, “This is another block coastal design for easy accessibility, affordability to the Highway engineers in the MDAs and private sectors in the construction industry and we are delighted that the synergy with IRF is working out simultaneously.

“The workshop is designed to optimise the performance of the road network over the last circle of its structural infrastructure assets. In essence, it is a process that seeks to maintain and improve the performance of the infrastructure assets system.

According to him, road assets management is a key strategic approach enabling road authorities to optimise the performance of their assets, such as active maintenance, repairs and replacement activities.

The President of the Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE), Margaret Aina Oguntala, represented by the Vice President, Aluyah Dauda Okodugha, while applauding the institution for a career-building initiative, emphasised that the programme will strengthen the conditions of roads in the country.

The President made it clear that the workshop is a testimony of a proactive approach towards improving infrastructure development and supporting good governance through engineering dialogue and leadership.

He said, “We have not overemphasised the critical importance of road infrastructure in ensuring national connectivity, enabling full economic activities and fostering national development.

“Roads remain the lifespan of the cities and rural communities, directly influencing trade, agriculture, education and healthcare development.”

The national deputy chairman of NIHTE, Bola Mudasiru, highlighted that the take-home of the workshop lies in understanding international standards and guidelines for road construction, Familiarity with various road maintenance methods, including preventive maintenance and rehabilitation.

He stressed that the Ability to manage road construction and maintenance projects, including supervising teams and managing budgets, communicate effectively with stakeholders, including contractors, consultants, and community members, among others.

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