The Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN), has urged the Federal Government to take steps towards addressing the energy crisis in the country.
Dr Adebisi Osim, APWEN’s President, said at the ongoing Annual General Meeting of the association in Calabar on Thursday, that the energy challenge in the country was taking too long to address.
Speaking at the conference with the theme: “Engineering Innovations and Energy Security for Sustainable Future” Osim urged the Federal Government to invest in sustainable energy solutions.
She said that government at various levels should implement policies that would create a resilient energy infrastructure in the country.
“We should encourage the implementation of renewable energy initiatives through public-private partnership to enhance energy access across the country.
“There is need to explore innovative solutions in renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and hydro power to compliment the existing energy grid,” she said.
The APWEN president said that the development of smart grids and energy-efficient technologies would ensure responsible use of resources and reduction in carbon footprint.
Osim further said that APWEN was willing to collaborate with the government to provide lasting solutions to the energy crisis in the country.
In his speech, Mr Heineken Lokpobiri, the Minister of State for Petroleum (Oil), said the ministry was ready to support efforts that would enable women engineers to play roles in technology and innovation.
Represented by Mr Biowe Kurokinyinanya, his Technical Assistant, Lokpobiri urged female engineers to play frontline roles in proffering solutions to the technological challenges in tbe country.
Also speaking, Gov. Bassey Otu of Cross River, said that the state was open to collaborations with APWEN in any area that would promote quality service to the people.
Represented by Mr Ekpenyong Cobham, the Commissioner for Transport, Otu urged the female engineers to make inputs that would lead to quality project delivery.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that APWEN, a division of Nigeria Society of Engineers, was founded in 1982, and inaugurated in 1983.(NAN)
