Artisans under the auspices of Association of Tilers, Nigeria, ATN, at the weekend, hailed President Muhammadu Buhari, over the signing of the Engineering Registration Amendment Act, 2019, which gives constitutional backing to Council for Regulating Engineering in Nigeria, COREN, to effectively regulate the sector.
The National President, ATN, Hassan Olanrewaju, who made the commendation however, lamented the invasion of quacks in the construction industry which has resulted in incessant collapse of buildings and loss of lives across the country over the years including the recent incidents.
Olanrewaju also stated that Buhari’s assent to the amended Act was the best decision that would strengthen the enforcement powers of COREN to prosecute any person or firm found to have contravened the provisions of the Act in a court of competent jurisdiction, adding that with this constitutional backing, COREN will instil discipline and sanity in the construction industry.
He said: “We were very grateful to receive the news that President Muhammadu Buhari has signed the Engineering Registration Amendment Act 2019. This is highly commendable and a step in the right direction by Mr. President. This will boost COREN’s powers to drastically reduce all forms of quack activities in the industry to save lives by prosecuting those found guilty.
“We in Association of Tilers, Nigeria ATN, have been a noble and professional organisation registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission CAC, under the Company and Allied Matters Act 1990, therefore throw our weight behind COREN to sanitize the industry.”
He also lauded the effort of the President of COREN, Kashim Ali and his team for ensuring the amended Act scaled through and passed into law by Mr President’s assent. “We laud the President of COREN, Kashim Ali and his dogged team to ensure the amended Engineering Registration Act 2019 for the overall safety of Nigerians as far as construction is concerned. We, as part of this prestigious organisation, COREN, support the leadership on this new mandate as far as the amendment of the Act is concerned,” he stated.
The association also commended the ongoing demolition of unfit buildings in Lagos State by the Lagos State Government, and appealed to landlords and tenants to cooperate with the government. It would be recalled that the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang, disclosed the assent of Mr. President to the Engineering Registration Amended Act 2019 last Friday to State House correspondents in Abuja. Enang explained that, “By the assent to the amendment, it ensures that, before being allowed to practice in Nigeria, such foreign engineering practitioners will be granted work permit, register with the council and obtain such licenses as may be required from time to time.
“The Act further admits into the council the following- Nigerian Association of Technologists in Engineering, Nigerian Society of Engineering Technicians and Nigerian Association of Engineering Craftsmen and one person each appointed to represent the Association for Consulting Engineering in Nigeria, Federation of Construction Industry in Nigeria, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria and armed Forces in rotation, among other functions.”
Source: Vanguard
