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From Isaac Anumihe, Abuja
The Council for the Regulation of Engineers of Nigeria (COREN) has pleaded with the Federal Government to exempt it from the non-funding policy of professional and regulatory bodies in Nigeria.
This is as the Vice President, Mr Kashim Shetima, challenged the National Assembly to pass a bill to make it illegal not to use local professionals for government projects.
Making a passionate plea at the 31st Engineering Assembly in Abuja, President and Chairman of Council of COREN, Professor Sadiq Abubakar, argued that COREN is not a professional association but a regulatory agency rendering government function of protecting the general public through
registration and licensing of engineers, consulting firms and engineering firms.
According to him, COREN should be exempted from such a policy because of the good work it is rendering to the Nigerian society.
“Since quality engineering practice is germane to the country’s quest for development and for the avoidance of the risk associated with engineering failure occurrences, the attendant loss of lives and economic waste, the council wishes to state loudly that it should be exempted from the federal government no-funding directive” he pleaded, stating that it is the situation in other climes, including developed countries.
He used the occasion to highlight the quality contributions of COREN to the development of Nigeria.
“I want to use this opportunity to emphasise the fact that COREN is not a professional association but a regulatory agency rendering government function of protecting the general public through
registration and licensing of engineers, consulting firms, and engineering firms;
accreditation of engineering programmes offered by universities and institutions; ensuring and managing of continuing professional development” he said.
Earlier, the Vice President, Mr Kashim Shetima, had emphasised the need for the government operatives to look inward and use the local engineers for government projects.
Shetima who spoke through the governor of Borno State, Engineer Babagana Zulu, challenged the National Assembly to sponsor a bill to the effect that all government projects be handled by local professionals.
“My takehome is that the very important thing we should work on is the local content order—–how we can ensure that our engineers will handle all engineering projects in Nigeria—–if not all, at least 90 per cent.
“In Borno State, local engineers handle up to 98 per cent of infrastructural projects. I think this is something that we need to do.
There are many senators in the National Assembly who can sponsor bills.
I think we can put our heads together. We can do something on the issues of local content.
“We have very brilliant Nigerian engineers and it is not that we don’t have but the opportunities are limited.
Go to Borno State, massive infrastructural projects are ongoing and they were all designed and executed by local engineers.
“There should be political will and commitment to drive this very important process for the growth and development of our country” he noted.
Recall that last month, the Federal Government notified professional bodies and councils that it would cease to fund them beginning from the 2024 budget in line with the decisions of the Presidential Committee on Salaries (PCS).
The move, according to reports, was in line with the recommendation in the Orosanye committee report and the recent Presidential Committee on Salaries.
The Director General, Budget Office of the Federation (BoF), Mr. Ben Akabueze, conveyed the message via memos sent to the professional bodies.
Some of the memos addressed to the Registrar/CEO, Optometrist and Dispensing Optics Board as well as the Nigerian Council of Food Science and Technology (NiCFoST) read: “I wish to inform you that the presidential committee on salaries (PCS) at its 13th meeting approved the discontinuation of budgetary allocation to professional bodies/councils effective January 1, 2024.
“The purpose of this letter therefore, is to inform you that, in compliance with PCS’s directives, this office will no longer make budgetary provisions to your institution, which means that you will be regarded henceforth as a self-funded organisation.
“For the avoidance of doubt, you will be required, effective January 1, 2024, to be fully responsible for your personnel, overhead and capital expenditures,” the memo, stated.
