NAN-H-56
Engineering
By Monday Ijeh
Abuja, Nov. 14, 2017 (NAN) The Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), said it had forwarded a bill seeking to amend the Act establishing the council before the National Assembly.
Mrs Ojonugwa Haruna, a Principal Information Officer in COREN, in a statement on Tuesday, in Abuja, said the amendment was to ensure effective regulation of engineering practice in Nigeria.
She said when passed, the bill would make it mandatory for all engineering personnel and firms to be registered and licensed by the registrar of COREN.
Haruna said the amendment of the Act would empower COREN to arrest and prosecute engineering organisations working in the country without registration with the council.
She said the amendment would also provide for the establishment of Engineering Regulation Monitoring (ERM).
The ERM is saddled with the duties of monitoring firms and ensuring that engineering practice is in accordance with the relevant codes.
Haruna said it would also expand the membership of the council from 26 to 29, adding that the idea was to accommodate representatives from consulting firms, construction and manufacturing industries.
“The bill seeks to empower COREN to earn more revenue to enable it fund its operations and activities that will complement government funding.
“It will make liable, any person or organisation, who offers engineering services and works or charges a professional fee without a valid licence issued by the council to pay a stipulated fine,” she said.
Haruna said the amendment would empower COREN to have oversight responsibility over companies engaged in engineering jobs, discipline and prosecute quacks in the profession.
According to her, the Act, in its current form, is limited to the registration and licensing of engineering personnel and firms.
“Lack of penalties on offences, enforcement, limited membership of COREN and its inability to earn more revenue to fund its operation due to weak laws are challenges to be addressed by the amendment,” she added.
It will be recalled that COREN became an established government organisation with Decree 55 of 1970 to register qualified engineers, regulate the practice of the profession and improve the skills of engineers. (NAN)
IMC/COO/YEMI
Edited by Cecilia Odey/Yemi Idris-Aduloju