By Magnus Eze
Nigeria’s drift into economic recession has taken its toll on the construction industry, like every other sector.
This was evident in Abuja last Thursday, at the 61st annual general meeting (AGM)of the Federation of Construction Industry (FOCI), a body of building and civil contractors and sub-contractors in the construction industry, manufacturers, agents and suppliers of building materials, plant and equipment to the industry and service providers to building and civil contractors.
The treasurer’s report for 2016 presented a gloomy year for the construction industry, “There was no significant development since the end of the accounting year, which would have had impact on the financial statement as at December 2016,” the report said.
Nevertheless, FOCI declared its commitment to raising capacity in the sector, which the immediate past president, Solomon Ogunbusola, said was facing gradual depreciation, hence the resuscitation of the undergraduate scholarship scheme for building and civil engineering courses in Nigerian universities. The scheme was instituted in 1976 in memory of the late head of state, Gen. Murtala Muhammed.
At the AGM dinner and awards night, 13 civil engineering and building technology students, drawn from seven universities across the country, emerged beneficiaries of the scholarship scheme, which had been inactive for a decade.
The beneficiaries, who are in their 200 level, comprised of 10 males and four females from the University of Lagos (2), University of Benin (3), Ahmadu Bello University (2), Bayero Univeristy, Kano (2), Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi (2), University of Abuja (2) and Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi (1).
Ogunbusola explained that each of them would enjoy scholarship of N250,000 per session to the end of their study, provided they maintained a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.5.
Presenting cheques to the students, Ogunbusola said, “We are giving you this award, even without knowing who you are or through influence from any quarters. It was your individual performance in school that earned you this scholarship. So, I charge you to go on and continue enjoying this scholarship until you finish your education.”
In his remarks, the newly installed president, Nasiru Dantata, of Dantata & Sawoe Construction Company, commended his predecessor for reviving the scholarship fund: “I am happy that the out-going president re-established this scheme. Our objective is to see that we have home-grown artisans and engineers as strategic feed into the industry.”
He promised to continue with the laudable programmes of the previous administration, including pursuing the Dual Vocational Apprenticeship Training Scheme, in partnership with the Delegation of German Industry and Commerce in Nigeria.
While appealing to the his predecessor and the council members to keep their doors open as he would always turn to them for advice, Dantata also said that his administration would continue to engender good industrial relations for the junior and senior unions in the sector.
Two of the beneficiaries, Adam Awal Sulaiman (BUK) and Ruth Ochanya Momoh of Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, expressed gratitude to FOCI for supporting their education with the award.
The two students, who have a CGPA of 4.6 and 4.1, respectively, assured the gathering that the award would motivate them to even do better in their academics.
“I have been having financial difficulty; so this will go a long way in helping me out,” said Benue State-born Momoh, who is said to be the daughter of a pensioner father and petty trader mother.
The 18 years old, who showed flickers of a multi-talented young lady, eventually spiced the night with some scintillating performance as she mounted the stage with her saxophone and held guests spell-bound.
Another female recipient also added colour to the event by rendering some songs to the admiration of the audience, including some friends and family members.
As people departed Chelsea Hotel, Abuja, venue of the FOCI AGM Dinner and Awards Night, one thing that occupied their minds was the future of the construction industry in Nigeria in the face of the prevailing economic crunch. But, Ogunbusola said that all hope was not lost if the marginal recovery of the economy in the first quarter of the year was anything to go by.
Government’s effort in the payment of some of the debts owed FOCI members, according to him, had given them hope for the future, while he appealed to government to make good its promise to find alternative means of settling the outstanding debts.