If you waka round Ebonyi State these days, especially for construction sites, one question go just dey ring for your head: where all the engineers wey suppose handle these projects don go?
No be say building no dey go on—everywhere full with new houses, plazas, and even government projects. But the real wahala be say many trained Ebonyi engineers no dey ground again.
This issue no loud like fuel price hike or election gist, but e dey more serious than many people realize. Plenty young engineers wey study hard, complete NYSC, and even gather small experience just disappear from the state.
Some relocate to Lagos, Abuja, or even abroad. Others switch careers completely—civil engineering graduates now dey run POS business or sell phone accessories. Clearly, something no dey work.
Why this one dey happen? The first thing na lack of opportunity. For Ebonyi, big engineering jobs no plenty, and the small ones wey dey no dey pay well. Imagine say you spend years studying engineering—design, calculations, site management—only to end up collecting salary wey no fit cover transport and feeding. E go discourage anybody.
Another issue na connection matter. For many project sites, especially government contracts, na who you know dey determine who go get job. Merit dey take back seat. Even if you sabi work pass, if you no get “person,” you go just dey sidelines while less qualified people handle serious projects. This kind system dey kill morale and push skilled engineers out of the state.
We also get respect problem. For some places, engineers no dey treated like professionals. Contractors go prefer cut corners and ignore proper engineering standards just to save cost. When engineers talk, dem go say “leave theory, na site we dey.” At the end, when buildings get issues, na still the same engineers dem go blame. Not many people go want stay for that kind environment.
Because of all these, brain drain don quietly start for Ebonyi State. Talented engineers dey carry their skills go places wey dem go value them. Lagos get construction boom. Abuja dey expand in infrastructure. Even outside Nigeria, countries dey look for skilled professionals. So the question be simple: why remain where your effort no dey appreciated?
But make we talk truth—this movement dey affect the state. When skilled engineers no dey around, building quality fit drop. Roads go spoil quick, drainage no go work well. We don dey hear cases of structures wey no strong and projects wey no correct. Most times, na poor planning or lack of supervision cause am.
Another thing wey dey worry na the younger ones. Students wey dey study engineering for Ebonyi schools dey watch everything. Some don already lose hope before dem graduate. Dem dey ask, “after all this stress, na wetin I gain?” That kind mindset fit make people no even wan enter the profession again.
If this thing must stop, government and private sector need wake up. Make dem create more opportunities and give local engineers chance for contracts. Pay must make sense so person fit stay.
Make transparency dey. Job no suppose be only connection matter. If you sabi work, you suppose see chance. Simple.
And most importantly, make people respect the profession. Engineering no be guesswork. If you ignore professionals today, na problem you dey invite tomorrow.
At the end of the day, Ebonyi get correct engineers. The problem no be talent; na support and structure. If nothing change, more of them go continue to disappear—not say dem miss, but dem no go dey active for the state again.
And when the real experts don go finish, who go build the future of Ebonyi? Na the question everybody suppose dey ask now.
As we dey bring you tori wey concern our yard every Saturday, remember say Tori for Yard na your space too. If anything dey happen for your area wey you wan make the world hear, send am come ENN — together, we go make sure every voice counts.
