Building collapse: We will enforce the law – COREN

President Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) Ali Alimasuya Rabiu  has said the council would begin to enforce the law as a measure towards ending the increasing rate of building collapse nationwide.

The COREN boss, however, said investigations revealed  80 per cent of incidences of building collapse showed  engineers were never involved, and called for effective implementation of Executive Order 5 to patronise local technology.

He said the body had recorded several successes following the introduction of the executive order.

Rabiu spoke at the 2nd Annual Engr. Kashim Ali Distinguished Lecture Series titled: “Agricultural Mechanisation and Food Production for Youth Empowerment: Engineering Sustainable Development,” in Auchi, Edo state.

The event was organised by the Auchi chapter of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), in collaboration with Edo University, Iyamho.

 “We are worried about building collapse. The new law by the federal government has empowered us to create department for regulations and monitoring. 

“To stem the tide of building collapse, the law empowered us to prosecute those that have committed this offence. Before now, we didn’t have those powers. 

“All the investigations we have done showed that in 80 percent of the incidences engineers were never involved.”

 “We will put together all the recommendations and advised government accordingly. There is need to get those responsible to implement contents of Executive Order 5.

“It is neither incompetence or unprofessionism that makes our engineers not to be patronised. Nigeria Engineers can be the best all over the world. 

“We have a Nigerian designing cars abroad. If they have enabling environment they will do well. If you try us and we fail, try us again and we will succeed.

“The way forward is for engineers to up their game. Government should challenge us and patronise us and we will deliver. All professionals should come together to bring technology to bare in agriculture,” he said.

Speaking at the event,  a former vice chancellor of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Prof. Michael Faborode, said engineers in the country could boost agricultural products if local technology is developed and patronised.

He said engineers should rise up and rescue a programme by the federal government to import tractors from Brasil.

Faborode said Nigeria cannot develop if the citizenry does not believe in themselves.

In his remarks, a former COREN president, Kashim Abdul Ali, said the recommendations by Prof. Faborode would help seek solutions to things troubling the nation.

He said it was wrong for the Nigerians to leave the country’s problem to others instead of looking inwards to solve problems.

About 16 persons were inducted into the body of Nigeria Society of Engineers.

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