By ABAH ADAH, Abuja
The Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) on Wednesday in Abuja inaugurated a set of professionals as members of the Sector Skill Council for Engineering (SSC4E) under the chairmanship of the President of the Nigerian Academy of Engineering, Prof. Raymond Adisa Bello.
COREN President, Prof. Sadiq Abubakar, while welcoming the guests to the inauguration session which was held as an inset of the the Council’s 32nd Annual Engineering Assembly on Wednesday being its third and last day, said the move was aimed at addressing the numerous challenges, including a shortage of skilled labour recorded across the various engineering cadres, aging of qualified practitioners among others.
Speaking further, he said, “In line with these, the SSC for Engineering is expected to develop occupational standards in the trade areas levels 1-5 covering the different engineering trades/services/consulting/repairs & maintenance, mentoring, fabrication, etc.”
Outlining the key roles and responsibilities of the inaugurated Council, Prof. Abubakar explained that in order to ensure that the Council succeeds, COREN had among other measures developed a guideline for the implementation of NSQ Programme, and appointed a Chairman who must be an Industry person and also a member of the COREN Council Committee on Registration of Personnel and Firms (Nominated the President of the Nigerian Academy of Engineering).
According to him, SSC4E would serve as a platform for collaboration among stakeholders in the sector, including government agencies, educational institutions, industry associations, employers of labour, manufacturers, etc.
He assured that the Council would develop a comprehensive plan to upskill and train the teeming artisans in the engineering endeavours over a period.
“This plan, which can be expanded with sponsorship, will map out ways to develop a national skills database for the engineering personnel operating in the industry, facilitate the establishment and accreditation of training centers in key locations across the country, and implement a certification programme that is recognised by employers and industry stakeholders.
“This ambitious goal aligns with the Renewed Hope agenda of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as well as the objectives of the National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF) which aims to promote the recognition, validation, and certification of skills acquired through formal, non-formal, and informal learning,” Prof. Abubakar further explained.
He expressed his appreciation for the roles played the National Skills Council, NSC, led by Vice President Kashim Shettima, the NBTE, led by Prof. Idris Bugaje, COREN and other stakeholders in directing focus of the current administration to the course for in the interest of national economy.
In the same vein, the Chairman of the Occasion and Senior Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Technical, Vocational, and Entrepreneurial Training, TVET, Madam Abiola Arogundade, while performing the inauguration, stressed the need to correct they see as counterproductive engineers-technologists and other engineering Cadres ratio in the country.
The Executive Secretary, ES, National Board for Technical Education, NBTE, Prof. Bugaje who stood in for Arogundade, said, “The greatest challenge facing the SSC4E is repositioning the pyramid of the cadres of Engineering. As of now, the pyramid is upside down, against ILO (International Labour Organisation) standards of 1:5.
“That’s why we are today importing skilled artisans from Benin and Togo in the construction industry, Chinese artisans in railway expansion, Indian technicians and artisans in the celebrated Dangote refinery, and if care is not taken, history will repeat itself when it comes to the Mambila Power Project, the Trans African Gas Pipeline to deliver Nigerian Natural Gas to Europe, etc.
“The SSC4E should also engage the informal sector and formalise the training. Nigeria’s economy is 75% informal. This is a sector that cannot be ignored. Panteka in Kaduna, Ariaria shoe market in Aba, Computer Village in Ikeja, Kofar Ruwa Market in Kano, Apo Mechanic Village in Abuja, the road-side welders all over the country, etc. are typical examples, and are individually offering massive training to youths informally.
“By engaging them, we can standardie the training, offer them NSQ certification, train the Master Craftsmen as Quality Assurance Assessors, and eventually COREN could license those with NSQ to operate. These licensed artisans can be deployed into national infrastructural projects instead of importing labour from ECOWAS or Asia.”
He however also emphasised that separation of power between the Training Provider, the Awarding Body and the Regulator be observed for efficiency.
“No one agency or body is allowed to combine any of these two roles based on global best practices. The misadventure of the Industrial Training Fund, ITF, in amending its Act to take over all 3 roles must be called to order. This proposed ITF Amendment Act 2024 will not only clash with existing laws but will create an unprecedented chaos in the Nigerian skills ecosystem and compromise standards,” Bugaje warned.