The Rector of Kaduna Polytechnics, Prof. Idris Bugaje, has lamented that the Boko Haram insurgency in the Northeast and kidnapping and banditry in the Northwest especially Zamfara state were caused by spate of poverty, unemployment and underdevelopment.
Delivering the opening address at the 49th Annual Conference, Annual General Meeting and Exhibition of Nigerian Society of Chemical Engineers on Thursday in Kaduna, the don called on government and organised private sector to address industrialisation and job creation to provide the youth with alternative to vices.
“The Northern leaders should work hard to industrialise the region so that the youth can get jobs and stay away from crime. Northeast is underdeveloped and under industrialised. Poverty was very high, so the youth had nothing to do. Zamfara in 2016 had the highest level of poverty about 98% which is why you have insurgency and banditry in Zamfara.
“Lagos in 2016 has 8% of poverty, which is why you won’t have banditry in Lagos. The state was described by the immediate past Governor, Ambode as the fifth largest economy in Africa because the youth are employed. About 60% of the 7gw of electricity generated in Nigeria is consumed in Lagos. The remaining 35 states and Abuja share the remaining 40%.
“Chemical engineering is key to creating jobs through industrialisation, the youth would be employed. The Nigerian Society of Chemical Engineers believes that if we can add value to agriculture it would improve the economy and create jobs. Something must be done to improve power generation in the country if we want to be industrialised. I hope we would have a clear roadmap to industrialisation in Nigeria.”
Prof. Bugaje said chemical engineers seemed to be on the back bench by being seemingly contented as refinery operators, adding that they should be designing process plants and be in the forefront of designing modern compact process plant for small modular refineries, noting that all the four operating refineries were designed by foreigners.
Bugaje, who is also the Chairman Local Organising Committee (LOC), said that the conference will focus on “the optimal designs of agricultural processing systems, production of fertilizer, energy challenges in the agro-allied industries, preservation of agricultural products and wastewater management. Research development and innovation that will ensure the emergence of an agricultural sector that shall guarantee food security, generate employment, supply our industries and boost our economy.”
