Fashola tasks engineers on professionalism, inaugurates 9-member COREN Board

By Matthew Denis, Abuja

Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, has charged engineers to uphold the moral and ethical standards of the profession.

Fashola gave the charge while inaugurating the 9-Member Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria, COREN at the Headquarters of the Ministry in Abuja.

The minister charged the new council members to ensure that professional ethics were not only maintained but improved upon.

Fashola also reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to the development of infrastructure.

He said, “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.”

He equally noted that members of the Engineering profession have been and will continue to play a significant role in this regard and stressed the need for COREN to ensure that professionalism is at its peak.

Fashola further charged them to uphold the moral and ethical standards of the profession, adding that true professionals always did the right thing no matter the situation adding that they would not compromise standards no matter the pressure.

In his remarks, one of the Council members and immediate past President of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, Engineer Babagana Mohammed said the new Council members are coming with alot of experience and dedication to protect the ethics and standards of the Engineering profession.

Mohammed said, “We are going to emphasise on the dos and don’ts because so many things are happening. Some people do not understand the regulations, so we need to make people understand and obey the regulations.”

He added that it will form the focus of the ongoing conference of COREN.

Speaking in a similar vein, Professor Zekeni Robert Yelebe who gave the vote of thanks on behalf of the Council members praised the infrastructural drive of the Buhari administration and pledged that they will ensure that standards are upheld in the profession.

Yelebe said, “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 is done with all engineering ethics.”

He maintained that the Council will also look at the curriculum of institutions offering Engineering courses to see if there is need for changes or improvements to be made.

He disclosed that accreditation issues will also be appraised to ensure that the products of the Engineering Institutions can compete with their counterparts in any part of the world.

The newly inaugurated Council Members are Dr. Muhammed Danlami Jibrin, representing North West, Dr. Idiat Ibironke Arogundade, representing the North Central, Professor Baba Shehu Waziri, representing the North East,

Professor Zekeni Roberts Yelebe, representing the South South and Professor Gabriel Obafemi Shonaike, representing the South West.

Others are Engineer Babajide Ojedele representing the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, Ademola Isaac Olurunfemi also representing the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, Engineer Tasiu Wudil and Engineer Babagana Mohammed both representing the Nigeria Society of Engineers.