By Isqil Najim
The President, Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria, COREN, Prof Abubakar Z. Sadiq has disclosed his vision for Engineering technologists in Nigeriia, just as the Nigerian Association of Technologists in Engineering, NATE called on the Council to join hand in supporting its quest to remove Dichotomy between HND and Bsc graduates among other far reaching decisions.
It was on 10th August 2023, that the the President of Nigerian Association of Technologists in Engineering, NATE ,Rt Hon Dominic Udoatan ksm led other Council members on a courtesy visit to COREN President of the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria, COREN, Prof Abubakar Z Sadiq.
The meeting which was held at the Council Headquarters in Abuja.
During the meeting, which was constructive, Nate President highlights some challenges facing members while making some demands on the way forward for Engineering personnel in various cadets.
NATE President, Hon Dominic Udoatan ksm drew attention of the president to a Bill signed by the two houses of the national Assembly to criminalize the discrimination of HND graduates in Nigeria. he called for COREN’s support to ensure the Bill is signed into an Act by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He said that when this is done, it will open up more opportunities for the Technologists and promote dignity of labour.
He also presented the desire of NATE to partner with the Council on establishing a capacity Building and Acquisition center. Saying this will contribute into continuing Professional Development of members and non members alike.
On COREN Assembly, he raised concern that Technologists have not been given prominent roles in making Presentations during the annual engineering gathering and urged the Council to look into it to ensure that the arrays of speakers include NATE members.
In a bid to deepen engineering career in the country and introduce more youths to embrace engineering, NATE suggested that COREN should initiate a move to ensue that Primary school curriculum is revised to include skill acquisition. This, he said, will open up the minds of younger ones into the world of engineering and make it easier for them to embrace engineering as a career.
NATE leadership also discussed extensively on the reverse of the pyramid of the Engineering personnel.
Other issues raised at the meeting include the need to ensure that COREN stamp and seal are given to NATE registered members with a clear laid out rules by COREN, Understanding and Harmony in the scheme of work at site.
To deepen engineering mobility, NATE leadership called for closer collaboration and involvement of the Association in COREN’s bid towards becoming a signatory to Sydney Accord.
In response, COREN President Prof Abubakar Z Sadiq thanked the leadership of NATE for their contribution to the engineering development in Nigeria.
He praises NATE for its culture of electing dedicated and focused professional as leaders. and implored members to sustain this tradition.
He described NATE leaders as progressive minded that thinks of the development of Nigeria with patriotic zeal and believe in Institutional and Resilience foundation.
On the Skill Acquisition center, the president affirmed the readiness of the Council to support it and fully get involved to make it a reality. He added that letters have been dispatched to relevant agencies such as NBTE on various subject matters.
He welcomed the suggestion on taking a look at the curriculum of primary schools, and pledged to look into it in conjunction with Universal basic Education Commission, UBEC.
Starting from Next year, NATE and other engineering family will be accorded more recognition during COREN Engineering Assembly and given slot(s) to make presentations. He however tasks the body to be alive to the responsibility.
He informed the leadership that, following the shift in policy of federal government, it is the professional bodies that will take charge of COREN Engineering Assembly henceforth.
On reversing the engineering pyramid, He said the Council will soon come up with policy and action plan. He said all the professional bodies recognized by COREN will be given opportunities to express their challenges and propose solutions on how to achieve equity that will allow them maximize their potentials within the engineering family.
Among others visions COREN President added that more responsibilities will be given to NATE and implore them to take the task with utmost diligence.
The Nigerian Association of Technologists in Engineering (NATE), a member of Council for The Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) is a professional body of practical engineers, established in 1988, with the aim of fostering the self reliant technological development in Nigeria.