Former President Goodluck Jonathan and Senate President Godswill Akpabio have charged the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) to take decisive action against recurring infrastructure failures and the menace of quackery in the engineering profession.
They made the call at the investiture of Ali Rabii as the 35th President of the NSE, an event that drew top government officials, professional bodies, traditional rulers and industry stakeholders on Saturday in Abuja.
Jonathan, in his goodwill message, described Engineering as the backbone of modern civilisation, stating that Nigeria’s roads, bridges, power systems and digital networks were fundamental to economic growth and national stability.
He stressed that no nation would achieve meaningful development without a strong, ethical and forward-looking engineering profession.
Represented by the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim, Jonathan said: “Our major cities have increasingly become sites of disaster.
“Avoidable structural failures have led to devastating losses of life and properties. While we cannot always rule out natural disasters, we must recognise that professional negligence is often the root cause of these collapses.
“This reality poses a higher moral and regulatory responsibility on NSE and the Council for Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN).
“You must transition to a system of rigorous compliance and effective response mechanism.
“In nations where regulations are sound and systems are efficient, even the impact of earthquakes is significantly mitigated.
“Your goal must be the total prevention of deaths through proactive oversight and unyielding standards.”
According to him, the elimination of quacks and the enforcement of these high standards are not just professional requirements, they are a sacred duty to safeguard lives and preserve public trust.
He said: “It is within this context of the urgent need for institutional discipline that we celebrate today’s investiture.”
Jonathan, therefore, urged Rabiu to lead the charge for a more resilient and accountable engineering system as the 35th president of NSE.
Also speaking, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, reaffirmed the central role of engineering in national development, declaring that “without Engineers, there can be no infrastructure.”
Akpabio, represented by Sen. Patrick Ndubueze, the Senator representing Imo North Senatorial District, commended the NSE for maintaining relative transparency and resisting political interference over the years; a feat he described as commendable in Nigeria’s challenging environment.
He also expressed concern over recent collapse of buildings, bridges and other critical infrastructure, calling on the NSE leadership to pay greater attention to safety, professional discipline and enforcement of standards.
He assured the Society of the 10th National Assembly’s readiness to support initiatives aimed at improving infrastructure quality and protecting lives.
In his remarks, the Minister of Regional Development, Abubakar Momoh, said that engineering remained a public trust, “because every infrastructure project contributes to national productivity, social stability and public safety.
“Engineers must therefore operate with integrity, accountability and a deep sense of responsibility placing sustainability, resilience and the common good at the core of professional practice.
“These values also resonate strongly with Nigeria’s commitments under the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly goals relating to infrastructure, clean energy, climate action and sustainable cities.”
Momoh reaffirmed his commitment to sustained collaboration with the Society in areas of regional planning, infrastructure delivery, climate-resilient development, innovation and capacity building.
Earlier, the outgoing President of the NSE, Margaret Oguntala, described the investiture as a moment of continuity, renewal and hope.
Reflecting on her tenure as the 34th and first female president of the society, she said the last two years were marked by collective effort aimed at strengthening professionalism, deepening capacity development, promoting inclusiveness and repositioning engineering as a key driver of national development.
Oguntala expressed satisfaction that the Society was being handed over stronger and better than it was met, attributing the achievements of her administration to teamwork, unity of purpose and the support of members and stakeholders.
She congratulated Rabiu, expressing confidence in his experience and vision, and called on all engineers across divisions and branches to give him full loyalty and cooperation.
In his response, the 35th NSE President, Ali Rabiu, pledged to uphold the highest ethical standards, strengthen regulation and reposition the NSE as a key partner in national development.
Rabiu said his administration would prioritise professionalism, safety and institutional reforms to restore confidence in engineering practice.
He added: “As President, I am committed to leading this reset with focus and conviction, building an institution that sets engineering standards, drives innovation, and delivers measurable value to members.
“This is the spirit of the Rabiu Presidency Resetting the NSE for relevance, resilience, and national impact.”
