By Angela Atabo
Prof. Sadiq Abubakar, President and Chairman-in-Council, Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), says the council is intensifying efforts to ensure stricter enforcement of engineering standards across the country.
Abubakar said this on Saturday at a retreat themed “Reinforcing COREN’s Regulatory Mandate: Aligning Governance, Structures, and Operations for Effective Engineering Practice Regulation in Nigeria” in Abuja.
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He said the council’s move followed unethical practices and quackery that remain major threats to public safety and infrastructure development.
He said through a strategic retreat, the council would strengthen governance and improve engineering regulation.
The COREN president said the retreat involved council members, regional steering committee chairmen, and the registrar.
According to him, the retreat comes at a critical time when the council is undergoing significant leadership changes and institutional reforms.
“This retreat comes at a time of significant transition within COREN, with more than half of its council membership newly constituted and a new registrar appointed.”
Abubakar noted that beyond administrative orientation, the gathering was focused on equipping members with the tools needed to address persistent regulatory gaps.
“The council has received more than 50 per cent of our new members, because of those that have finished their tenure. So, we have about 20 persons that have joined council and we appointed a new registrar.
“So, it is quite important to do this.Normally we educate the new members and also the new registrar on all our enabling laws, our structure, operations, the expectations and the challenges that are within the country and Africa in general.
“This is one of the key mandates of COREN. We operate in 11 sectors, from oil and gas, to construction, mining, power, aviation, and transport with over 15 million actors.
“Engineers, technologies, technicians, craftsmen, artisans need to be regulated and guided to be able to make sure that we have resilient infrastructures, safety of our lives and properties, and safety of investment.”
Abubakar said this would aid an enabling environment where investors could come due to durable infrastructures that could stand the test of time and attract partners and investors.
“So, aside the administrative, we are trying to impact legal and legislative perspectives on the new members.
“The ultimate is to make sure that we reposition COREN to make sure that we have effective regulation, enforcement, and very timely prosecution of quacks or of our colleagues who are deliberately violating the ethics of engineering in all spheres of our endeavours,” he said.
Abubakar, therefore, said the retreat also offered a forum for deliberations on key reforms, including amendments to the COREN Act, the fifth Edition of the COREN Standing Orders, and evolving government policies such as tax reforms and funding structures.
He said the expectations from the retreat include enhanced clarity of roles between council and management, improved governance efficiency and strengthened institutional capacity.
According to him, others are the development of strategies for financial sustainability and improved engineering practice.
In his remarks, the COREN Registrar, Prof. Okorie Uche, underscored the importance of synergy between policy formulation and implementation.
Uche noted that the retreat provided an opportunity for council members and management to align their understanding with COREN’s Act and regulatory responsibilities.
“The essence of this retreat is to ensure that those who make policies and those who implement them are on the same page.
“We need a shared understanding of our roles to effectively regulate engineering practice in Nigeria and safeguard public welfare.”
He added that improved regulation would help curb recurring issues such as building collapses and infrastructure failures, as well as ensure a safer and more prosperous society.(NAN)
