UNILAG Set To Build Refineries

The University of Lagos, UNILAG, has announced plans to set up conventional and standard locally-built refineries to enhance the nation’s refinery capacity.

The institution’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, made the disclosure at the 1st Annual General Meeting, AGM, and second Alumni Lecture of the UNILAG Faculty of Engineering Alumni Association on Saturday.

According to Ogundipe, the proposed refineries would expose or prepare Chemical Engineering graduates of the institution to refining processes.

He said: “A committee has been set up to under-study the process from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. If you go to some of the universities in Texas, when their students graduate, because they have refineries in their universities they do not need to do certain courses when it comes to professional courses.

“Engineering has left that level of just setting down and starts computing. It is now about turning ideas to realities. It is about producing entrepreneurial skills and developing the skills in the life our students.

“We need to develop our students, all of them have skills that are unique to them, and the skills can help them set up their own businesses in future. Most of our students can develop application while some are with different skills.

“As a Vice Chancellor, faculty by faculty I am going to interact with students to encourage them, to develop their skills and we have already gotten the commitment of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, and Bank of Industry, BOI for funds.”

Speaking on the refineries, the managing director, Kresta Laurel Limited, Dideolu Falobi called for reforms in Engineering Faculties and need for Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria, COREN, and Nigerian Society of Engineers, NSE, to show interest in Engineering students and young engineers.

“There is need to ensure that Engineers only serve in Engineering Institutions and companies during National Youth Service Corps, NYSC. Return of post-graduation training/education to create parity with professions like Medicine, Law, and Architecture among others, enforcement of wage parity with other professionals during and after NYSC,” said Falobi.

On his part, the Chairman, UNILAG Faculty of Engineering Alumni Association, Oye Eribake, said “as association members were committed to promoting the well-being of other Alumni especially the young graduates and to assist the Faculty in turning out engineers fit for industry.”