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By Daniel Adaji
The Kano State Government has pledged full support for the ongoing reforms of the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN).
It described the reforms as crucial to strengthening standards, safeguarding lives, and driving industrial growth across the North-West.
Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, represented by the Commissioner for Works and Housing, Engr. Marwan Ahmed, made the commitment at the Regional Engineering Stakeholders Summit held in Kano.
In a statement on Thursday, he applauded COREN for its developmental strides, particularly the current wave of reforms, and reaffirmed the state’s readiness to work with the Council.
“The State Government is committed to supporting the Council in the full realisation of its roadmap agenda,” he stated.
The summit, convened by COREN, brought together engineers, manufacturers, government officials, academics, and regulators to tackle sectoral challenges including substandard materials, building collapses, and the growing menace of quackery.
It also marked the inauguration of the North-West Regional Steering Committee (RSC), mandated to coordinate reforms at state and zonal levels.
COREN President, Prof. Sadiq Zubair Abubakar, described the event as a turning point.
“The North West is an economic powerhouse, and its growth must rest on a foundation of safety, standards, and quality. This summit is about concrete action; establishing a framework that tackles engineering failures, strengthens oversight, and unlocks the region’s full industrial potential,” he said.
He outlined key reforms including tighter regulation and enforcement through Engineering Regulations Monitoring and Enforcement (ERM&E), a crackdown on quackery using investigation panels and disciplinary tribunals, collaboration with law enforcement, and sector-specific strategies for manufacturing, agriculture, and housing.
Council Registrar, Prof. Okorie Uche, emphasised that decentralisation and stronger partnerships are at the heart of the reforms. He listed reforms such as strengthening Outcome-Based Engineering Education (OBE), institutionalizing the Engineering Residency Programme (ERP), making Continuous Professional Development (CPD) mandatory, and seeking international recognition for Nigerian engineers.
“Regulation cannot be effective without active engagement and cooperation with the stakeholders. Our strength lies in partnerships that drive sustainable engineering excellence,” he noted.
Chairman of the North-West RSC, Engr. Habu A. Gumel, represented by Engr. Ibrahim A. Maimaje, said the Committee is designed to bring regulation closer to the grassroots.
“The RSC is designed to strengthen Regional governance and empower local institutions to ensure that COREN regulation is not just national, but practical at the grassroots level,” he stated.
The event attracted dignitaries including representatives of the governors of Jigawa, Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, and Zamfara States, alongside goodwill messages from industry leaders and academics such as Prof. Haruna Musa, Vice-Chancellor of Bayero University, Kano.