Against the backdrop of high incidence of collapsed buildings and shoddy construction of projects across the country, Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State has called on the Council for the Regulation of Engineering of Nigeria (COREN), to impose tougher penalties on its members who are found to have executed poor jobs on projects.
Governor Chime, who made the call when he received the president and council members of the body at Government House Enugu, identified dishonesty and fraud as major problems facing the country.
The governor noted that on assumption of office in 2007, he engaged the services of indigenous contractors to handle most of the road projects in the state, but expressed regret that they have all failed to perform.
He said, “We have a problem, we assumed office in 2007 in a hurry, we embraced our indigenous contractors. Unfortunately, they all failed us. Our major problem in this country is fraud and dishonesty; and unless we tackle this basic problem, we will not get there.”
“As a professional body, you have to address this basic problem. We are ready to engage the services of our engineers and we rely on them, provided they will do a good job. They can do better” the governor added.
Chime told his guests that his administration had set up Road Maintenance Agency to help give prompt attention to some road rehabilitation and maintenance in parts of the state to promote the lift of the roads.
He however pointed out that government will be very willing to partner with the private sector or private developers for the completion of works on the projects.
Earlier in his address, the president of COREN, Mr. Mustapha Bulama, informed the governor that his team was in the Government House to invite him to the 20th zonal Engineering Assembly taking place in the state.
Mr. Bulama explained that the assembly is an annual event organised by the body at which all engineering personnel and other stakeholders in the public and private sectors meet to interact professionally and discuss their problems and proffer solutions.
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