By: Felix Ikpotor
Tougher times await contractors indicted in the collapsed Synagogue Church of All Nation (SCOAN) building as the Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE) has hinted of plans to prosecute them.
National President of the body, Engr. Otis Anyaeji dropped the hint during a press briefing in Port Harcourt.
Anyaeji said the contractors would be tried by the Engineering Tribunal after they are through with the criminal charges filed against them by the Lagos State government.
“After they finish facing criminal charges, we will try them for professional misconduct”, he said.
He maintained that: “whenever any project done by our members, be it road or building fails, we try them”.
Anyaeji maintained that poor standard and use of unqualified engineers to execute jobs have led to collapse of buildings, stressing that in most of the cases recorded their members are not involved.
He however, urged contractors to maintain high standard while handling jobs.
Similarly, the body has called for the unbundling of the Nigeria Railway Corporation to allow for the involvement of private individuals in the sector.
NSE president Otis Anyaeji during the briefing in Port Harcourt said the unbundling of the sector would remove monopoly in the system and give Nigerian engineers the opportunity to participate in the sector.
To this end, the body said the Railway Corporation Reform Bill initiated by Sen. Emmanuel Andy Uba, the senator representing Anambra South should be amended to allow private individuals to participate in the sector, protect lives and properties of private investors.
It also proposed the inclusion of Railway Safety Agency in the bill.
They also proposed that states should be given the right to invest in the sector.
