Mechanical engineers under the aegis of the Nigerian Institution of Mechanical Engineers (NIMechE), Asaba Chapter, have called for renewed professional activism, stronger collaboration with government, and a return to high ethical and technical standards as pathways to sustainable national development.

The call was made at the 3rd Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Chapter, held in Asaba, Delta State, where participants adopted an eight-point communiqué titled “Reclaiming the Spirit of Engineering in Nigeria: From Silence to Strategic Action.”

Declaring the Delta State Government’s continued openness to technical partnerships, the Commissioner for the Directorate of Transport, Hon. Onoriode Agofure, reaffirmed his ministry’s commitment to collaboration with NIMechE in advancing infrastructure and development initiatives across the state. He commended the Asaba Chapter for its constructive engagement with government and stressed the importance of professional engineering input in policy formulation and project execution.

The AGM attracted stakeholders from government, academia, industry and traditional institutions. A former Commissioner for Higher Education, Engr. (Dr.) Jude Sinebe, urged mechanical engineers to take a more proactive role in national technological advancement, emphasising the need for deliberate mentorship of young and aspiring engineers to prepare them for future challenges.

In his remarks, the Father of the Day, Chief (Engr.) Christopher Chukwurah, Owelle of Asaba and President of the Green Energy Foundation, praised the unity of the Chapter and challenged engineers to reclaim the profession’s relevance by moving from silence to strategic action in addressing Nigeria’s development needs.

Delivering the keynote lecture titled “Reclaiming the Spirit of Engineering: From Silence to Strategic Action,” Engr. Prof. Chukwuma Henry Kadurumba described mechanical engineers as central to nation-building. He called for a unified professional front, strict adherence to standards, increased local investment in research and development, and courageous engagement with governance. Drawing examples from industrialised nations, he noted that Nigeria’s transformation depends largely on the decisions and actions of today’s engineers.

In goodwill messages, the Chairman of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Asaba Branch, Engr. Ikechukwu Osunde, stressed the need for teamwork and solution-driven professionalism within the engineering community. The Chairman of NIMechE, Asaba Chapter, Engr. Anthony Igbeka, expressed gratitude for the success of the AGM and highlighted the Chapter’s recent achievements, including national recognition and ongoing engagement with the Delta State Government through the NSE.

In the communiqué adopted at the meeting, participants noted that Nigeria is at a critical crossroads marked by infrastructure deficits, energy challenges and the loss of engineering talent to brain drain. They resolved that the erosion of engineering influence in national decision-making must be addressed through unified advocacy, ethical renewal and strategic engagement with government.

The communiqué reaffirmed commitment to a solution-oriented and evidence-based engineering ethos, called for stricter enforcement of professional standards by regulatory bodies, and urged engineers to reclaim their voice in governance through institutionalised advisory roles.

It also emphasised mentorship, innovation, research and development, curriculum reform and talent retention as critical to securing Nigeria’s engineering future. The engineers further resolved to demonstrate professional value through visible societal impact, including infrastructure safety audits and practical interventions.

The AGM concluded with a commitment by engineering institutions to undertake community-based pro bono projects aimed at addressing immediate needs while delivering long-term developmental benefits.

Participants collectively pledged to move from professional silence to strategic action, committing their skills, integrity and expertise to nation-building through innovation, infrastructure and knowledge-driven solutions.