Fashola Inaugurates COREN Board Members, Charges Them on Professionalism. .... Reiterates Federal Government's Commitment to Infrastructural Development. Works and Housing Minister, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN has inaugurated the 9 Member Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), today Tuesday 9th August, 2022, charging them to ensure that the ethics guiding the Engineering profession are upheld. Fashola reiterated the commitment of the Federal Government 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." The Minister 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. He charged them to uphold the moral and ethical standards of the profession, adding that true professionals always do the right thing no matter the situation and will not compromise standards in the face of pressure. 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 a lot of experience and dedication to protect the ethics and standards of the Engineering profession. He said, we are going to emphasize 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 the same vein, another member, 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. He 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 added 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. ...

Permanent Solution to Completion of East West Road Underway - Fashola The Honourable Minister of Works and Housing Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN has assured Nigerians that steps are being taken to provide a permanent solution to completion of section 4 of the East West Road measuring 15 kilometres from Onne Port junction to Eleme Port junction in Rivers State. The Minister gave this assurance during a meeting with the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Umana Okon Umana in his office at the Ministry's Headquarters in Mabushi, Abuja on Thursday, August 4,2022. Due to public concerns the Niger Delta Affairs Ministry who handed over the supervision of the road to the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing early this year wrote to inform the Minister of Works and Housing of their decision to do some remedial works on the road through the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). However, based on advice of Directors from Federal Ministry of Works and Housing who inspected the road last month and discovered that its cardinal problem is lack of drainage, Fashola decided that a permanent and holistic approach should be taken so that the problem is put to rest because without the drainage whatever work that is done on the road will not last. Already request for additional funding to complete the work has been sent to the Bureau of Public Procurement to obtain a Certificate of No Objection (approval) expeditiously so that the work can be completed. Fashola assured the people of the area and other road users that the Federal Government is committed to the completion of the road as well as other roads across the Nation, this he opined is President Muhammadu Buhari's Administration's priority to enhance impactful Socio-Economic development and therefore craved the patience and understanding of Communities along the East West Road axis. ...

Perm Sec Charges Engineers on Economic Growth and Job Creation. The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, Bashir Nura Alkali, FCA, FCTI, has charged Nigerian Engineers to come up with resolutions that can lead to economic growth and job creation in the country. He gave this charge while declaring open the 43rd Conference of Directors of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Departments of Ministries of Works and Housing in the Federation. Alkali, was ably represented by the Director, Human Resources Department in the   Ministry, Aliyu Abdullahi The Theme of the Conference is "Engineers as Catalyst for National Economic Growth and Job Creation." He said "Conversing about Engineers as Catalyst for National Economic Growth and Job Creation, the papers to be presented at this conference are to address issues bothering on economic growth and job creation"   He also noted that Engineers need to start turning their ideas and inventions into marketable products and services through planning, designing, constructing, installing, commissioning and maintaining of infrastructures. Describing the roles of engineers as prime and fundamental, Alkali pointed out that to alleviate poverty in Nigeria, the country would need a growth model that could generate adequate jobs for her citizens and it could only be achieved through industrialization. "Nigeria needs a growth model that can generate sufficient jobs for her huge population and also be inclusive enough to significantly curb poverty" he said. Accordingly, the Permanent Secretary stated that industrialization being a product of technologies and application of technological breakthrough could only be a reality through advancement in engineering. He told the delegates that the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, has given the approval for the Ministry to commence the training of Artisans in the various Ministry’s training schools, pointing out that the launching of the N-Power by the administration of President Muhammad Buhari and Special Public Works Programme has provided Nigerian youths job placement and empowerment. In his welcome address, the chairman of the Conference and Head of Engineering Department in the Federal Ministry of Works, Engr. Valentine Nwaimo, urged delegates to come up with a workable communique that could be presented for consideration and approval at the upcoming Council on Works. "As the Conference progresses, I want to wish all of us a very fruitful deliberation so as to come up with a good communiquè that is worthy of presentation at the Council of Works which is the highest policy making body for consideration and approval," he said. According to Engr Nwaimo, the Conference of Directors of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Department of the Ministries of Works and Housing of the Federation is an annual event where papers on a selected theme are presented and deliberated upon for the acceleration of Nigeria’s development. He told the participants to utilize this opportunity to brainstorm on topical issues affecting the growth of the country in diverse area and come up with innovative ideas that could lead to economic growth, creation of jobs as well as stem the tide of corruption. ...