Port Harcourt, Nov. 6, 2024 – The Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) says it has repositioned its operations at the grassroots to curb infrastructure collapse in the country.
The agency’s President Prof. Sadiq Abubakar gave the assurance at a summit on Wednesday in Port Harcourt.
The President during the summit also inaugurated the body’s South-south regional office located in Port Harcourt as well as its steering committee members .
He said that the agency was decentralising its authority and visibility across the six geopolitical zones so as to effectively monitor, investigate and sanction practitioners involved in sharp practices.
Disturbed by repeated collapse of the national grid, buildings and other engineering infrastructures in the country, Abubakar said that various committees had been set up across sectors to tackle the menace.
”As you know, engineering practice is a grassroots based activity so, we will ensure that the 774 local government areas of the country benefits from our proffessional contributions .
”Today, we have inaugurated the South-south regional steering committee mandating them to undertake engineering education, professional development of members and regulating of engineering practice across sectors,” he said.
Abubakar also warned practitioners against adulteration of materials, cutting corners and other risk associated practices while also adding that agency’s whistle blowers have been authorized to alert the council accordingly.
Mr George Okoroma, Chairman of the newly inaugurated South-south regional steering committee commended the decentralisation policy.
Okoroma also said that the regional offices would create opportunity for more investigation, surveillance across the nooks and cranies of the region.
He on behalf of the committee thanked the body for the opportunity to serve and pledged readiness to tackle the challenges of building collapse in the region through collaborative engagements within the engineering ecosystem.
Our correspondent reports that the two day summit also provided lectures on operational regulations as well as networking strategies for members.
