Federal Ministry of Works

Jul

2026

LATEST PRESS

PRESIDENT TINUBU REITERATES COMMITMENT TO QUALITY INFRASTRUCTURE DELIVERY AT THE 34TH COREN ENGINEERING ASSEMBLY

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, has reaffirmed the Federal Government's unwavering commitment to strengthening engineering regulations, promoting quality infrastructure, and safeguarding public safety across Nigeria.

Represented by the Honourable Minister of Works, *Engr. David Umahi, CON, FNSE, FNATE *, while declaring open the 34th COREN Engineering Assembly, the President described the Assembly’s theme, *"Advancing Public Safety in Nigeria through Strategic Engineering Regulatory Enforcement and a Tiered Sanctioning Regime,"* as timely and relevant to the nation’s developmental aspirations.

The President stated that engineering remains the backbone of national development and that effective regulatory enforcement is essential for protecting lives, ensuring quality infrastructure, and restoring public confidence in the engineering profession.

He stressed that regulations are not intended to punish professionals but to protect public interest, noting that *” no road, bridge, or building is more valuable than human life.”*

President Tinubu assured participants that his administration remains fully committed to completing the four (4) Legacy Road Projects across the six geopolitical zones, under the Renewed Hope Agenda. He described them as strategic investments that will transform the nation’s economy, improve connectivity, and stimulate sustainable development.

The Honourable Minister of Works commended the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) for choosing an apt theme that aligns with the Federal Government’s vision for quality infrastructure delivery and adherence to public safety.

He noted that engineering is a profession where mistakes can cost human lives, emphasising that, unlike many other professions, there is often no opportunity for appeal after a structural failure. He, therefore, called for stronger regulations, strict enforcement, and effective sanctions against unqualified practitioners and professionals, who compromise ethics and standards.

Engr. Umahi stressed that site engineers must discharge their responsibilities professionally and should never allow contractors to dictate engineering decisions. He urged Council to strengthen its disciplinary mechanisms, similar to other professional regulatory bodies, to ensure that only qualified engineers are allowed to practice.

The Minister highlighted the achievements of President Tinubu’s administration, especially the ongoing Legacy Road Projects spread across all the geopolitical zones, designed to improve economic integration, enhance national security, create employment opportunities, and stimulate investment.

He expressed confidence that with continued discipline, transparency, and adherence to engineering ethos, Nigeria’s infrastructure deficit would be significantly reduced within the coming years.

Presenting the *Keynote Address* on behalf of the Honourable Minister, the *Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Works, Mr. Rafiu Adeladan,* stated that the Renewed Hope Agenda places infrastructure development at the centre of Nigeria’s economic transformation. He explained that the Ministry is implementing four major Legacy Projects across the geopolitical zones to connect communities, promote commerce, improve national integration, and encourage investment.

The Permanent Secretary emphasised that quality assurance, competence, professionalism, and independence amongst stakeholders remain fundamental requirements for sustainable infrastructure development. He urged engineers to uphold ethical standards, comply strictly with engineering regulations and best practices, and strengthen resilience through adherence to due process

The Chairman of the occasion, *Alhaji Aliko Dangote, GCON,* represented by *Prof. Hassan Umaru* described the Assembly as timely and significant, noting that engineering excellence remains the foundation of public trust, industrial competitiveness, and national development.

He observed that every infrastructure project must be executed according to approved standards and maintained throughout its lifespan. Drawing from the experience of the *Dangote Refinery* project, he explained that rigorous engineering design, quality control, technical discipline, and strict compliance with standards were critical to its successful delivery.

The Chairman called for sustained excellence within the engineering profession and urged COREN to continue strengthening regulatory frameworks, while enforcing disciplinary measures against erring practitioners, in order to safeguard lives and property.

In his *Welcome Address,* the *President of COREN, Engr. Prof. Sadiq Zubair Abubakar, FNSE,* outlined the Council’s statutory responsibility of regulating engineering education and practice in Nigeria, in line with international standards and recommended practices.

He explained that engineering graduates are expected to undergo mandatory industrial training before participating in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), describing practical exposure as critical to professional competence.

Prof. Abubakar further disclosed that COREN has successfully introduced digital verification and enforcement systems to improve transparency, eliminate fraudulent practices, and strengthen regulatory compliance.

He assured members that the Council would continue to uphold integrity, professionalism, and accountability, while addressing attempts by some practitioners to circumvent established standards. According to him, engineering regulation must remain transparent, sustainable, and effective in preventing infrastructure failures across the country.

In his introductory remarks, *Prof. O. A. U. Uche* emphasised the importance of sustaining quality infrastructure development through continuous improvement in engineering practice. He described infrastructure development as a collective responsibility requiring collaboration among government, professional bodies, academia, industry, and private sector stakeholders. In this vein, he, therefore, called for stronger synergy in advancing engineering excellence and national development.

The *Honourable Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr. Bosun Tijjani*, stated that science, technology, and engineering remain critical drivers of economic growth, innovation, and public safety. He pledged continued collaboration between the Ministry and engineering regulatory agencies.

Representing the Nigeria Governors' Forum, the *Governor of Plateau State, Barr. Caleb Mutfwang,* opined that engineering is one of the most respected professions globally and emphasised the need to create an enabling environment for engineers to thrive, while sustaining public safety and economic development.

The *National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Professor Nentawe Yilwatda*, commended COREN for its achievements in regulating engineering practice. He described engineers as the backbone of national development and praised the Federal Ministry of Works, under the leadership of Engr. David Umahi for the remarkable progress recorded on the four Legacy Road Projects and others across the six geopolitical zones.

He congratulated the Ministry for its commitment to quality infrastructure and affirmed that Nigerian engineers continue to distinguish themselves through professionalism and excellence both nationally and internationally.

The 34th Engineering Assembly reaffirms
COREN’s commitment to strengthening engineering regulations, enforcement, and a tiered sanctioning regime to ensure public safety and sustainable infrastructure development in Nigeria.

Feb

2020

Fashola Charges Staff on Service Delivery The Honourable Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola,SAN has charged staff of the ministry to ensure quality service delivery to Nigerians and members of the public. Fashola gave the charge on Friday in his keynote address at the opening of a retreat for the top management staff of the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing and its agencies at Gombe International Hotel Gombe, Gombe State. The theme of the two- day Top Management Retreat is '"Service Delivery for National Prosperity". It is the 7th retreat in the series held by the Ministry. Fashola explained that the main objective of the retreat is focused on quality service delivery to Nigerians and members of the public by the management and staff of the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing. "There is a way you deliver service and get commended and another you get scolded,"he said. He, therefore, urged staff on service delivery with compassion and care in order to create a better public perception of the Ministry.Fashola pointed out that the retreat is an opportunity for staff to reflect on previous performances with a view to fine tuning them for improvement. Earlier in a welcome address, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry Mohammed Bukar stated that the ministry has been holding the retreat quarterly since the inception of the present administration under the Honourable Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN. He explained that the common thread that ran through the themes of all the previous retreats was the concept of "Team Work." Bukar further explained that it was a deliberate choice to underscore the need for inter and intra-departmental synergy and collaboration in pursuit of the implementation of the core mandates of the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing. Speaking specifically on the theme of the 7th Top Management Retreat, the Permanent Secretary said, "The emphasis has now shifted to service delivery. This is pursuant to the directive of the Honourable Minister that 'service delivery' shall be the focus of the second term of the President Muhammadu Buhari led Administration." "The relevance of this theme to the core mandate of the Ministry cannot, therefore, be over emphasized considering the new focus of the management on completion of projects," he said. Bukar , therefore, urged participants to use the two -day forum to engage in cross fertilisation of ideas that will guide the operations of the Ministry, stating that the fundamental objective of the Retreat is to review, fine tune and come out with new strategies for improved service delivery. ...

Feb

2020

Plans To Immediately Remove Broken Down Trucks From The Road Underway -Fashola The Honourable Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola ,SAN has assured Nigerians that his ministry has made plans to immediately remove any broken down truck on the highways as part of measures to ensure free flow of traffic this year while construction work is on -going. He gave the assurance on Friday while inspecting the rehabilitation of Odukpani- Akpet-Alesi -Ugep road in Cross River state in conclusion of his one week tour of some federal roads in the South-South and South-East geopolitical zones of the country. The Honourable Minister said government intends to adopt a strategy of immediate removal of broken down trucks along Nigerian highways to avoid commuters being delayed. He added that this would apply to all the highways where trucks get stuck easily like the Numan road in Taraba state, Calabar-Itu road and Abeokuta - Ota road. Fashola said, "We want to ensure that this time our contractors are better prepared for the rainy season, so we need to evolve a strategy where our contractors are mindful that yes we have the construction work but the roads must remain motorable during the rainy season." The Minister, however, advised vehicle owners to ensure that their vehicles were well maintained in preparation for the rainy season to avoid break down. He said the 76km Alesi-Ugep road which links Iyamoyung and Akpet communities to other parts of the state used to be one of the troubled spots in the last few years but had become passable. Fashola further said President Muhammadu Buhari was anxious to see that the 67km road was completed knowing its importance to the economy of Cross River State. Speaking earlier, Federal Controller of Works for Cross River State, Engr. Bassey Nsentip disclosed that some communities had benefited economically from the construction of the road adding that the contractor employed 176 skilled and unskilled workers in executing the road project. Engr. Nsentip also said suppliers of building materials and food vendors benefitted immensely from the project. He disclosed that the project was 97% completed as only surface dressing, road markings and signs were yet to be done. He said when all those things were put in place the project would be ready for inauguration. ...

Feb

2020

Hire Local Equipment And Personnel, Fashola Charges Contractor The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN has charged the contractor handling the Dualization of Aba – Ikot Ekpene Road, Section 1 to source and deploy equipment and personnel locally to fast track the pace of work on the road project. The Minister gave the charge during the inspection of the project.He said, “Start hiring local equipment and hire local people that you need, start training them for engagement while waiting for the one from China.” Fashola directed that between now and March all the bad portions of the road must be made motorable before the rains come. He said, “Try and repair the bad portions first before the rains come, so that these people will know that their government care about them. So if you do not finish the construction of the road, they will know the road is getting better”. While speaking to newsmen, the minister said the contract was initially awarded to a different company but had to be terminated due to poor performance and now re-awarded to Messrs CGGC Global Projects Nig. Limited. Speaking earlier, the contractor complained that the equipment and some of the personnel they wanted to use were stuck in China as a result of the outbreak of corona virus. Similarly, while inspecting work on the Dualization of Odukpani – Itu road the minister expressed optimism that the contractor, Julius Berger Nigeria Limited that is handling 21Kilometres of the road will do everything possible to ensure that the road is motorable during the rainy season even if the construction was still on going. The Minister assured the contractor that he doesn’t need to leave the site on funding basis because he had enlisted the project for SUKUK funding hence they wont run out of money. He further informed that the other bad portions of the Odukpani- Itu road which so many people didn’t understand the contractual responsibilities, had been awarded to another company, so we have a contractor on both sides. The Permanent Secretary for Works in Akwa Ibom State, Engr. John Itiat expressed happiness over the commitment of the Federal government to the work on the road. ...