Fashola Inaugurates Engineering, Builders’ Councils, Tasks Members on Professionalism

Emmanuel Addeh

The Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) has inaugurated new board members of the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) as well as the Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria (CORBON).

Speaking during the separate events in Abuja, the minister charged them to ensure that the ethics guiding the engineering and building professions were strictly adhered to.

The minister reiterated the commitment of government to the development of infrastructure, cautioning the new members of the regulatory agencies against activities that could bring the professions to disrepute.

Stressing that both professions will continue to play key roles in the economy, the minister urged both councils to uphold the moral and ethical standards of the profession.

He told the new board members that as true professionals, they should always do the right thing no matter the pressure and refuse to compromise standards.

“As you are all aware, our government has committed to infrastructure and as you all know infrastructure brings development to the country.  It boosts our economy, it creates employment and it enables the nation to compete for continental and global space,” the minister said.

To the new CORBON board, he told them to be open and transparent in their activities, warning that attempting to cut corners could be dangerous to the health of the sector.

On the composition of the new council members, Fashola said that the members were drawn from professional bodies and cuts across all the zones of the country.

 “What you see in the membership is the diversity of our nation fairly represented and we will continue to improve on it,” he said

In his response, the immediate past President of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) Babagana Mohammed, said the new council members were coming with a lot of experience.

While promising to ensure the protection of the ethics and standards of the engineering profession, he stated that part of the immediate focus of the council will be to make members understand and obey the regulations.

Another member, Prof. Zekeni Yelebe, who gave the vote of thanks on behalf of the council members pledged that members will ensure that standards are upheld in the profession.

 “We can see that this government is serious in terms of infrastructural development and as a council, we will make sure that engineering activities especially infrastructural development are done with all engineering ethics,” he promised.

The newly inaugurated COREN members included: Dr. Muhammed Jibrin, representing North West, Dr. Idiat Arogundade, representing the North Central, Prof. Baba Waziri, representing the North East, Prof Yelebe, representing the South South and Professor Gabriel Shonaike, representing the South West.

Others were:  Babajide Ojedele, representing the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, Ademola Olurunfemi also representing the ministry as well as Tasiu Wudil and Babagana Mohammed, both representing the NSE.

On the other hand, the 11- member council of the CORBON has Samson Opaluwah as the Chairman, with Prof. Shehu Bustani, Jonathan Chinasa, Dr. Taliat Yusuf and the head of building at the ministry as members.

Other members of the council included; President, Nigerian Institute of Building who doubles as the President of Structural Engineers, Abdulhamid Yuwari; Christian Chinedu,  Alhassan Marke, and Kingsley Oghoro.

Also speaking, Chairman CORBON, Opaluwah, listed some of the challenges besetting the industry as cases of building collapses, especially in the urban areas of the country.

He noted that the council shall address the incidents as a matter of national priority.

“ This will include but not limited to a robust plan for the monitoring of building project sites to ensure compliance with standards, regulations, and good practice.

“We will also strengthen the strategic partnerships with other professionals in the built environment to ensure a coordinated response to this malady and propose mitigation policies to the federal and state governments on efficient building controls and practices,” he stated.