NIEEE Insists on Professional Autonomy from Nigeria Society of Engineers

Emma Okonji

The Nigerian Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, (NIEEE), has stressed the need for an autonomous professional body from the Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE), insisting that its independence from the Nigerian Society of Nigeria is long overdue.

NIEE, in its 28th Annual General Meeting (AGM) held in Abeokuta, Ogun State, recently, reiterated the need for an autonomous body, following a motion moved by a former National Chairman of the Institute, Mr. Akinsola Cole, and seconded by Mr. Adedoyin Salami.

According to the motion, NIEEE is a professional engineering body that is statutorily registered and legally recognised by the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as enshrined in the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) 2020 as an independent corporate legal entity that is mandated to carry out the professional business of organising, training, admitting, registering and qualifying Electrical and Electronic Engineering activities in Nigeria.

In a communiqué issued by NIEEE, shortly after its AGM, signed by its National Chairman, Mr. Akan Michael, and made available to THISDAY, the body said:  “Therefore and deriving from the above and the aforementioned aims, objectives and legal registration status conferred on the Nigerian Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (NIEEE) by the Nigerian State vide the provisions of CAMA 2020, it is clear that NIEEE as registered by law, is not a division of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE).

“And having taken into cognisance, the purported disclaimer that was said to have been issued by the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) in September this year is not binding on NIEEE. It is therefore to be noted that the word: “institute” or “institution” refers to the same body by virtue of public notice issued on 26 November, 2018 in a national Newspaper and there is no dispute with respect to the legal standing of the Nigerian Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.”

The communiqué further said: “I, Akinsola Cole, a former National Chairman of the Institute hereby move the motion that the Nigerian Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (NIEEE) as it is a legally registered Institute by the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) in line with requisite provisions of CAMA 2020 or any other existing provisions of the law, applicable at the time of registration of the Nigerian Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (NIEEE) by CAC, and that the Institute is NOT a division of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) as stated  in the purported disclaimer made and that this motion is now made in good faith to put the record straight.”