By Angela Atabo

Mr Olofunsho Adebiyi, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Works, has called on engineers to uphold the highest standards of professionalism and excellence in the execution of road projects in Nigeria.

Adebiyi made the call at a three-day training for Highway Engineers, Technologists and Technicians from the North-Central region, on Tuesday in Abuja.

The permanent secretary emphasised the crucial role engineers play in delivering quality infrastructure that meets international standards.

He stressed the need for excellence and professionalism in the discharge of the mandates of the ministry.

Adebiyi noted the importance of capacity building and training for staff members to improve their skills and knowledge the delivery of high-quality jobs.

“Excellence is not something one jumps at, you must work to achieve it.

“So, let us go back and look at the highway rudiments faithfully; let us ask questions where we don’t know, in order to get it right.

“Let us sit down and do what we are trained to do, because if you successfully supervised a project and it is completed, there is a measure of pride a sense of fulfillment you feel,”he said.

Adebiyi encouraged the engineers to uphold the ethics of their profession, build their knowledge and operate in tandem with international standards.

The permanent secretary, who advised engineers against stagnation, urged them to move round and build knowledge.

“There is a system error we have observed, where an officer is recruited in Sokoto and has been there all his life.

“It is not correct. We want to make sure that we post members of staff across the nation to have a comprehensive experience because the soil texture in Bayelsa is totally different from the soil texture in Sokoto,”he said.

Adebiyi explained that the ministry would start transferring members of staff across departments to gain more knowledge in order to function optimally when they become senior officers.

He also disclosed that promotion would be based on performance management system and called on members of staff of the ministry to up their game.

Earlier, Mr Yiltony David, the Director of Highway Planning and Development of the ministry, said that the training was timely.

He said that the training would stimulate quality work and high productivity from engineers in providing services to Nigerians.

“So we expect that from here we will see engineers who are more committed to their jobs.

“People who see what they are doing as service to Nigeria, those who see it as an opportunity to add value to this country,” he said

Also speaking, Mr Femi Oyekanmi, who retired from the ministry, stressed the need for mentorship, adding that retirees should be mentors to those who are still in service.

Oyekanmi, who decried the dearth of professionals in the ministry, called on the Federal Government to employ more hands.

“The engineers in the ministry are overwhelmed, there is need to recruit more engineers and technical assistants for the ministry,” he said. (NAN)

Edited by Polycarp Auta