The National President of the National Association of Engineering Craftsmen (NAEC), Honourable Umar Usman, has called for the recognition of the critical roles of craftsmen in the successful execution of projects at all levels of engineering.
Honourable Usman made the call during a courtesy visit to the Management of Covenant University on Wednesday, April 26, 2023, ahead of the inauguration of the new leadership of the Ota Branch of NAEC on Thursday, April 27, 2023.
He said NAEC remains the largest subunit of the Council for Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) of the four subunits under the professional body and has remained the most neglected in the career advancement processes of organisations in Nigeria.
According to him, craftsmen have been in existence before the advent of formal education and have consistently been at the forefront of every construction, fabrication, and repair, serving as lifelines in the engineering milieu.
Honourable Usman, who was accompanied by NAEC First Vice-President, Matthew Ajayi; immediate past National Treasurer, Ademuyiwa Emmanuel; and the new Ota Branch Chairman, Akindele Ayoola, called for the review of promotion criteria in many corporate organisations so as to create a favourable career progression pathway for craftsmen so they don’t end up stagnated and demoralize other craftsmen in the engineering domain.
He congratulated the management of Covenant for the support given to members of the body in the university workforce and for having the pioneer chair of the Ota Branch emerge from the fold of the University. "While I congratulate you for this, please continue to adhere to best practices in your employment processes by employing only certified members of NAEC," he added.
In his remarks, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Abiodun H. Adebayo, said the University management holds her craftsmen and engineers in general in high esteem, and he was grateful for the opportunity to meet with the leadership of NAEC, as it will help the university appreciate the critical roles of this set of employees and further tighten her recruitment processes as it relates to bringing on board only certified professionals.
Professor Adebayo, who received the team in the company of the Registrar, Mrs. Regina Tobi-David, and the Director, Financial Services, Pastor Gbenga Kiki, noted that the Chancellor, Dr. David Oyedepo, pays premium attention to investment in her engineering programmes, which has in turn reflected in the engineering structures of most of the edifices of the Proprietor-base.
According to him, "All our works as it relates to construction are powered by the originality of our craftsmen working on all our structures, including those of the Proprietor-base," he averred.
Professor Adebayo assured the leadership of NAEC of the readiness of the university to ensure that the employment of artisans and craftsmen aligns with the professional dictates of NAEC as captured by COREN’s professional guidelines.