Abuja: The Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) and the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) are partnering to enforce engineering regulations in Public-Private Partnership (PPP) projects in Nigeria. The Director-General of the ICRC, Dr. Jobson Ewalefoh, made this announcement during a courtesy visit by a COREN delegation led by its President, Prof. Sadiq Abubakar.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Dr. Ewalefoh highlighted that the ICRC was established to oversee and regulate PPP initiatives of the Federal Government, aiming to address Nigeria’s infrastructure deficit, which has been a barrier to economic growth. He emphasized that moving forward, it would be mandatory for all engineers involved in PPP projects to adhere to COREN’s regulations.
Dr. Ewalefoh described engineering as a crucial element of infrastructure development and expressed the commission’s commitment to building strong partnerships with agencies like COREN. He stated, “The development of Nigeria will be based on quality and resilient engineering, which is a key focus of ICRC.”
The ICRC head stressed the importance of quality engineering to ensure infrastructure resilience against potential challenges. He expressed the need for COREN’s regulation in the building industry and across various economic sectors, emphasizing, “We will take it as part of our criteria to ensure that engineers involved in infrastructure projects have a valid yearly licence.”
Dr. Ewalefoh also condemned child labor at construction sites and urged COREN to address such issues. He called for the revamping and implementation of building codes to align with global standards and assured COREN of ICRC’s support in acquiring a suitable head office through a public-private partnership.
Prof. Sadiq Abubakar, President of COREN, explained that the council, a statutory body set up by the Federal Government, is tasked with regulating engineering practice in all its facets. He highlighted funding challenges as a significant obstacle to enforcing engineering regulations.
Abubakar questioned the government’s expectations for COREN to regulate engineering and investigate infrastructure failures without adequate funding. He noted, “We are defunded. That is another subject for debate.”
He mentioned COREN’s involvement in 11 major sectors and efforts to activate inspectors in the mining sector. However, he expressed dissatisfaction with the energy and power sectors’ current state, particularly the repeated failures of the national grid, where engineers are not adequately involved.
Abubakar emphasized the need for COREN’s oversight in sectoral regulations and identified ICRC as a key stakeholder in addressing infrastructural issues. He expressed the desire to establish a closer working relationship with the ICRC to enhance synergy and regulations.
Abubakar also sought ICRC’s support in constructing COREN’s headquarters through a PPP approach.