The importation of foreign expertise into the Nigeria economy for purported nation building has raised concerns among professionals from diverse backgrounds including real estate who converged in Lagos recently.
The professionals, under the auspices of the Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria (APBN), Lagos State chapter noted that in various sectors of the nation’s economy, foreign experts have taken positions, querying the rationale in engaging even artisans from neighbouring West African countries for carpentry, tiling, roofing and sundry jobs which Nigerians can also do.
Reaffirming their commitment to collectively contribute to nation building, the professionals decried the second best status this development has subjected them to, tasking themselves to imbibe professionalism in their varying sectors even as “the input of professionals remain key to sustaining building process”.
Speaking at the first annual public lecture and awards hosted by the chapter, Nwauju Ogubunka, registrar, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), said the role of professionals in nation building cannot be over-emphasized as they have the knowledge, skill and expertise to proffer solutions to challenges.
“Nation building which is a continuous journey and not a destination should include the inputs of professionals,” Ogubunka said, adding that where there is a deficiency of trust between the nation and the professionals, the journey to redemption is doomed.
According to him, Professionals should also be visible in championing Public Private Partnership (PPP) which is essential in nation building through building human capacity, sustaining maintenance culture, analysing, evaluating and discovering gaps as well as suggesting objective and well informed solutions.
He emphasized the need for professionals to cooperate and collaborate effectively in enhancing the status of the association
Toyin Ayinde, Lagos State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, who was an award recipient at the event, noted the importance of professionals in developing a passion for their skill to enable them make necessary impact in the society.
He stressed the need for rediscovering the national dream which, he said, was vital in nation building. “We need to rediscover our national dream and pursue it and, just like the Americas who have a national dream, we need to identify ours.”
By: ODINAKA MBONU
