UNILORIN don tasks FG on enforcement of environmental protection law

The Federal Government has been advised to ensure that proper laws are made and strictly enforced to ensure that every stakeholder takes the issue of proper disposal of hazardous wastes serious to ensure the safety of the nation’s environment and its inhabitants.

A University lecturer and Professor of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, University of Ilorin, Yinusa Adediran, stated this while delivering the University’s 188th Inaugural Lecture at the institution’s Main Auditorium.

He said that making legislation is not as important as ensuring that such laws are strictly observed and adhered to by all and sundry to ensure sanity.

Adediran also expressed disgust at the rate of failure of engineering structures in the country, saying that such collapse has become a huge “technological embarrassment not only to the nation but also to the concerned professionals and stakeholders who are involved in the design and implementation of such edifices” .

He noted that the collapse of buildings, bridges and telecommunications masts has become a frequent occurrence in Nigeria, which are, no doubt, indications of poor quality and unreliability of products and services  used.

The erudite Professor of Electrical and Electronic Engineering explained that the problem of engineering errors may be hardware or software-induced depending on situations. He cited damaged and badly-designed hardware and poor fitting between the system and organ as instances of problems emanating from hardware. As regard software-induced inadequacies, poor development practices, poor testing, incorrect perception of system requirement and poor user interface were cited.

Prof. Adediran, however, contended that human error is the greatest contributor to poor engineering practice and consequent failure of structures and facilities. He mentioned lack of knowledge about the equipment/manufacturing/production process, poor judgment skills in handling the equipment, absence of correct quality management procedures and instructions, carelessness and mere physical inability of those involved as other contributory factors.

The inaugural lecturer, therefore, suggested the placing of physical barriers to errors by not putting round shaft in square holes, displaying reminders such as photo of correct/incorrect results, use of automated equipment to detect errors and standardizing procedures such as performing same actions on a familiar part as ways of stemming the tide.

The renowned Engineering scholar also called for increasing extension of telecommunications services to rural areas to promote national integration. He said that all the problems associated with telecommunications in rural areas are not insurmountable with the right political will and adequate adoption of modern technologies by those who are well-trained.