by Isqil Najim
Professional regulatory bodies play a crucial role in maintaining standards and ethics within their respective fields. One of their primary responsibilities is to discipline erring members, ensuring accountability and deterring future misconduct.
The Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) is tasked with this responsibility for the engineering profession. However, it has much to learn from the Body of Benchers.
On 13 August 2024, the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) of the Body of Benchers issued a suspension against some lawyers following the determination of various professional misconducts cases against them. The sanctions included striking their names off the Roll of Legal Practitioners. The impact on the industry was immediate and the enforcement was swift. The Body of Benchers is to lawyers what COREN is to Nigerian Engineers.
In contrast, the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) has been less effective in disciplining erring engineers. Despite instances of professional misconduct, COREN’s sanctions often lack severity and public visibility.
What makes legal practice Disciplinary measure effective?
!, Strong relationship with Stakeholders: The Body of Benchers maintains a strong relationship with the judiciary, enabling effective enforcement of disciplinary decisions. A lawyer struck off the roll cannot file any professional work with any court.
2. Effective registration system. You cannot file a court case without a legal license. While this is the case with engineers, it is not universally mandatory. Engineers can secure work in some establishments without a COREN license.
3. Absence of subcategories. Engineering is multidisciplinary, unlike law.. There is no equivalent to the distinctions between lawyers, technicians, and technologists in law. Such divisions have led to unhealthy dichotomies, especially between technologists and engineers. Until a recent COREN amendment, the Council could not effectively regulate these subcategories.
4. Orderly Seal Distribution. Both engineers and lawyers use professional seals that expire annually and pay annual practicing fees. However, engineers face issues with seal distribution, including longer processing times and less orderly processes. Lawyers, on the other hand, must apply for their seals within a specific timeframe, ensuring a more efficient system. Many engineers have complained about seal distribution, leading to the use of expired seals or complete disregard.
5. Professional bodies. Too many professional bodies like NSE, NATE, and NISET exist within engineering, with weaker interrelationships.
Why are we behind?
Empathy and Cover up:
A high level of empathy among Nigerian engineers can lead to forgiveness or cover-up of misconduct. For example, unregistered engineers can work under registered engineers without appearing on the COREN register, enabling the registered engineer to cover for them.
Engineering flexibility and Teamwork
Engineering Flexibility and Teamwork: Some engineering works do not require traditional engineering degrees. Teamwork is essential on projects, and registered engineers may not possess expertise in all areas. In such cases, registered engineers may sign and stamp documents for projects where team members without COREN certification have done the work. This behavior can encourage qualified engineers to ignore registration.
In addressing this I will recommend:
Strengthen Relationships: COREN should establish stronger relationships with state and federal agencies, engineering agencies, and tertiary institutions. The current relationship tilted too much toward informal, ceremonial and event organising.
Renewable Licenses and decentralised Control: As suggested by some of our members previously, the COREN License should cease to be a lifetime license. It should have an expiration date; perhaps 15 years. The practicing fees and seal application fees would continue to be paid annually. Additionally, COREN should decentralise some of its powers toward Regional officers to enhance regulatory measure.
Streamline Seal Distribution: Seal application and fee payment should be submitted annually online, with no human contact. Seals should be distributed promptly after the end of the engineering calendar year. A list of engineers who paid practicing fees for the year should then be published separately from the list of registered engineers.
Engage with the Private Sector: It must be noted that private sector is built on performance and delivery.. If the chief engineer deems a Physics engineering graduate was more competent to operate a machine than Mechanical engineering graduate who only operate machine from his text book, they will hire the former. Many times, the affected graduates seek formal registration with COREN but are rejected or told to return to school to bag traditional engineering degree. This has frustrated many people and made them operate under other professional bodies where COREN has no control.
COREN should work with the private sector to ensure that registration requirements align with industry needs and performance standards. There must be policy to accommodate these group of engineering personnel without prejudice to their first degree certification. COREN used to have the system and must revise it. For example, such graduate can undertake master degree in engineering where he is specialist. Apprenticeship is another option.
In conclusion
Professional misconducts cannot be eliminated just as building collapse, infrastructure failure cannot be completely averted. But when we run an open and effectively regulated system where regulatory body plays its roles without sentiment, the system will be solid enough to run efficiently. we have seen the process run on other professional bodies. We can learn from them.
Isqil Najim is a Mechanical Engineer, based in Lagos. You can find him on LinkedIn or X formally twitter.