The Engineer

The official e-Newsletter of The Nigerian Society of Engineers

Friday, February 1, 2013

NSE Management gets IFRS Training

The Nigerian Society of Engineers took its management staff through a week-long training on International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), spanning 5th 8th February, 2013. IFRS is the method of financial reporting instituted by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) and enforced by the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRCN), to serve as an upgrade from the hitherto adopted Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). It will be recalled that the federal government of Nigeria had backed this enforcement with an Act of the National Assembly since 2011, stipulating penalties for non-compliance. Companies, financial institutions, professional bodies, notfor-profit organizations and all Public Interest Entities (PIEs) are expected to adopt IFRS at certain stipulated timelines, but perhaps the most interesting tinge to NSEs adoption is that all members of management cutting across various professions Engineering, Accounting, Law, Human Resource, Communications, etc. participated in the training. The total compliance date for organizations like NSE is December 2013. While declaring the training session open, NSE President, Engr. Mustapha Balarabe Shehu, FNSE, applauded the virtues of knowledge exchange which the NSE IFRS training signified. He said he had always held the belief that if knowledge is hoarded then the custodian of such knowledge is invariably ignorant; noting that the ability to disseminate knowledge effectively across professional barriers makes the society a more enlightened one. He gave kudos to the facilitators of the training programme, Analytics Secure Associates, a consortium of Chartered Accountants and financial experts for thinking in the same direction as the management of the Nigerian Society of Engineers. Engr. Dr. Tunde Olatunji, FNSE, the Director of Professional Development Services of NSE, in a vote of thanks at the end of the training session, described the training as very illuminating. He commended the trainers and noted that the model deployed was captivating enough to command the attention and assimilation of the trainees. He went on to thank the NSE management for the initiative. The training was concluded on February 8, 2013 and the first certificate was presented to the Executive Secretary, Engr. Ahmed K. Amshi, FNSE, by Mr. Ayo Taylor of Analytics Secure Associates. The Executive Secretary in turn presented certificates to other participants.

IFRS Training in Pictures

Mr. Mobolaji Raji, the NSE Internal Auditor receiving his certificate of participation from the Executive Secretary Engr. A.K.Amshi, FNSE

Group photograph of the participant with the training facilitator, Mr. Ayo Taylor (middle) on the last day of the training

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The Engineer

University of Port Harcourt honours Engineers

Recently, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, Professor Joseph Ajienka, on the occasion of the 29th Convocation ceremony of the university, conferred the Chancellors Outstanding Friend of the University Award on the President of the NSE, Engr. Mustafa B. Shehu, FNSE. Also honoured in that category were the NSE Vice President, Professional Development, Engr. Otis Anyaeji, FNSE; as well as other senior Engineers numbering up to ten. This special recognition of Engineers which attracted net worth individuals resident in the oil rich city was the high point of the Chancellors Dinner and Award Night that held on Friday, February 8, 2013 at the Gymnasium of the UNIPORT Sports Complex. Dignitaries at the event include: The Chancellor of the university, Oba Akran of Badagry, De Wheno Aholu, MenuToyi 1, OFR; business mogul, Aliko Dangote, GCON; the Executive Secretary, Committee of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities, Engr. Prof. Michael Faborode, FNSE; Emiritus Professor Tekena Tamuno; Engr. Abiye Membere; President of the International Association of Athletics Federation, Dr. Lamine Diack; Dr. Pat Ekeji; Chief Solomon Ogba; Dan Ngerem; amongst others. The Vice Chancellor noted that the award was in recognition of the distinguished Engineers outstanding demonstration as friends of the citadel of learning. He also pointed out that the university authorities carefully selected them for the Award as appreciation for their leadership roles and immense contribution to the engineering profession in the country and at the global arena.

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The Engineer

Anyaeji, Massari Receive Accolades at EPRC Commissioning

The Nigerian Society of Engi- provide and deliver the best of sari donated the computer neers (NSE) on Thursday, Feb- industry skills and knowledge work stations for the Centre, ruary 14, 2013, in Abuja offi- to all cadre of engineering per- Engr. Anyaeji provided the furniture. The scope of operations envisioned for the Centre is such that it is expected to operate as a global entity, hence the decision to establish a Governing Board to run its affairs as an autonomous body. In line with its expansion plans, branches of the Centre will be replicated all over the six geopolitical zones of the country within a short period of its establishment. The former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Prof. Engr. Olufemi Bamiro, FNSE, is currently serving as the pioneer Chairman of the Governing Board of the EPRC.

Left, Engr. A.K Amshi, FNSE, the Executive Secretary of NSE briefing the NSE President and other EXCO Members before the cutting of the Tape to signify the commissioning of the Engineering Practice and Resource Center.

cially commissioned a worldclass design laboratory and continuing education facility for engineering practice. The institute called Engineering Practice & Resource Centre (EPRC), situated within the headquarters building of the NSE, was set up last year to serve as the training arm and capacity building platform for the Society. The President of NSE, Engr. Mustafa Balarabe Shehu, FNSE, who in a brief ceremony, cut the tape to signal commencement of full-time operations of the Centre, said the EPRC has been mandated to

sonnel, through qualitative training aimed at providing The Engineering Practice & specialisations and continuing Resource Centre which is dedicated to the memory of a professional education. former President of the SociEngr. (Chief) Otis Anyaeji, ety, the late Engr. Mustapha FNSE, Chairman/CEO of O. Bulama, FNSE, OON, is partT. Otis Engineering and also nering with International Enthe Vice President, Profes- ergy Services Limited (IESL), sional Development Services, MIDAS Information TechnolNSE and Engr. (Chief) G. ogy Company Limited and Massari, FNSE, the Managing AUTODESK Limited to deDirector of Danelec Limited, liver training and resource dereceived accolades from the velopment for Engineers and President at the commission- other professionals in Nigeria. ing ceremony. The President extolled the two businessmen for their magnanimity in supporting the development of the project. While Engr. Mas-

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The Engineer

Report on Experiences, Activities and Interactions of NSE Delegates at the Young Engineers Convention held in Kuwait from 10th 12th February, 2013
The Young Engineers/Future Leaders (YE/FL) Convention in Kuwait availed NSE delegates opportunities for networking and interacting with many young engineers who have success stories in their areas of endeavours. for organizing a great and successful event. They also interacted meaningfully with the Young Engineers (YE) from member countries present at the Convention such as Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, United Kingdom, United States of America, Germany, Oman, South Africa and host country, Kuwait. All the presentations made during the Convention centered on the following international issues: Global PopulaThe Nigerian delegation with Prof. Gretchen Kalonji, Assistant Director General for Natural Sciences, UNESCO

culture in the 21st Century, How to Start Your Small Scale Businesses, 3 Stages of Failure, Social Innovation, Engineering and technology, Globalization and International Relations. As part of the closing events for the 2013 youth convention, all participants were taken on a tour of the Green Camp, which is an eco-friendly habitable camp designed, constructed and managed by the Kuwaiti Society of Engineers in the heart of the Kuwaiti desert. Indeed, the Kuwaiti Convention was an insightful experience that has opened the eyes of the delegates from Nigeria to new frontiers and ways of organizing a successful international conference and they are ready to take the challenge for WEC 2014.

The Convention created an opportunity for engineers to interact with the President-elect of World Federation of Engineering Organisations (WFEO), Marwan Abdelhamid; The Nigerian delegation from L-R: Christopher Chukwunta, Prof. Gretchen Kalonji, Assis- Usman Shehu, Engr. Valerie Agberabga, FNSE, Engr. Ovens Ehimatie, MNSE, and Fumbi Babatunde tant Director-General for Natural Sciences, under the tion Growth and Relative United Nations Scientific and Scarce Resources, Urban AgriCultural Organisation (UNESCO); Mr. Dick G. Bochar, the Secretary-General of the European Federation of National Engineering Associations; amongst others. The Nigerian delegates attended all planned programmes, including the rehearsals for the opening ceremony. Many lessons were gleaned from that on the recipe

The Nigerian delegation with Engr. Fam Mei Ling, Chair of YE/FL subcommittee for the 2013 World Engineers Summit (WES 2013) in Singapore

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The Engineer

Kwara votes N10m to fund Engineering College

The Kwara Government is to spend a total of N810 million to build a College of Engineering Technology at its state-owned University at Malete to boost youth empowerment. Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed who made this known on Thursday, February 7, 2013 during the foundation laying ceremony of the college, said that the amount is for phase one of the project. He said his administration is determined to ensure that the University produces highly skilled engineers to become entrepreneurs in the competitive global economy of the 21st century. Ahmed said that this is also in line with the vision of his administration in establishing an International Vocational Centre in Ajasse-Ipo, designed to produce middle-level manpower. According to him, the vocational centre, when fully in operation will transform Kwara into the hub for the production of vocational skills in the country. The governor called on stakeholders in the state to contribute their quota to the growth and development of the institution to make it rank among the top 10 universities in Nigeria in the next five years. I wish to appeal to captains of industry, finance and banking institutions, Information and Communications Technology (ICT) companies and multinational companies to start thinking of what they can do for and get from the Kwara State University, he said. Ahmed assured employers of labour that graduates of the University would be top notches in science, research and development. Graduates of this University will enter the economy equipped with world-class education and the business mind-set necessary for successful entrepreneurship, he said. The Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. AbdulRasheed NaAllah, in his speech, said the academic programmes are designed to nurture the spirit of anticipation, agility, adaptability and adventure. NaAllah said the institutions College of Engineering and Technology would, among other courses, run a programme on Aeronautical and Astronomical Engineering, which he said would be the first in Nigeria. (NAN Report)

EDITOR: Abdulkadir Aliyu Published by Media and Publications Department, Nigerian Society of Engineers Media@nseng.org . CONTACT: media@nse.org.ng aliyu.abdulkadir@nse.org.ng Branch and Divisional Chairmen should contact us on their activities for publication in the newsletter.