Association Tasks Govt on Investment in Corrosion Control

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

The Nigerian Corrosion Association  (NiCA) has urged the government to invest in corrosion control in terms of personnel, production (equipment) and research, to enhance the performance of professionals to give better results to the country, and also boost the country’s economy.

This as the association also called for collaboration between the government, institution of learning, industries and the community in addressing challenges that would guarantee conducive environmental sustainability and responsibility.

The call was made yesterday during the ongoing annual conference of the Nigerian Corrosion Association taking place in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

THISDAY also observed as part of activities at the annual conference, the inauguration of new executives that will pilot the affairs of the association in coming years.

While speaking, the newly inaugurated President of NiCA, Prof Auwal Kazim, said the gas sector remains the backbone of Nigeria’s economy, stressing that its sustainability is essential for collective progress.

Speaking on the theme: ‘Management of Corrosion in the Midstream and Downstream Oil and Gas Industry’, Prof Kazim said as part of efforts to tackle the challenges associated with corrosion in the oil and gas sector and safeguard infrastructure in our home, offices as well as industries, there is need for collaboration to guarantee safety of the environment.

He said: “Corrosion management is a matter of national importance, especially as we strive to optimize operations in the midstream and downstream sectors.”

Prof. Kazim noted that the “ramifications of unchecked corrosion are costly not only in terms of financial loss, but also with regards to safety and environmental impact and operational efficiency, across pipelines, storage facilities, and refining  infrastructure.

According to him, “Corrosion threatens most vital assets unless they are confronted with advanced strategies and cutting -solutions.

“Over the years, the NiCA has sensitized the public, also, we are in partnership with the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) in order to develop corrosion standard which is lacking in Nigeria.

“The menace of corrosion is all encompassing, it is one that transcends beyond the oil and gas facilities, it is multidimensional, it also affects our homes, and every other all sectors in the country.”

He further advocated for adoption of corrosion as a course in the Nigerian universities to enable the people get wider knowledge of corrosion.

“Nigerian universities should start corrosion as a course. As at now, most of the universities do not have corrosion engineering as a course, they just stop at material and methodology, and I think other institutions should start establishing this course, it’s very important,” he stated.

Also speaking, the national conference Chairman, Uche Ekekwe, said: “The attempts to return to nature is what we see as corrosion.

“Corrosion is the act of refining metallic materials or trying to return metals to their original/natural states, where they existed before they were mined or refined by reduction processes or using oxidations, cracking or structural alterations.”

Other stakeholders who spoke at the event agreed on the call for the introduction of corrosion as a course in Nigerian institutions of higher learning in engineering departments to facilitate specialisation.