The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has formed a strategic alliance with the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) to combat corruption, substandard projects, and building collapses nationwide.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed on Thursday at ICPC headquarters in Abuja by ICPC Chairman, Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, and COREN President, Engr. Prof. Sadiq Zubair Abubakar, signals a united front to enforce strict professional standards and hold violators accountable.
His words, “the ICPC and COREN are critical in Nigeria. COREN is critical to our survival. The engineers help us to have this place we are using for this meeting. And our job as ICPC is to ensure that we have a good quality job in that area (engineering). We (ICPC) have a responsibility to ensure accountability and transparency in the public interest.”
“No more certificates for ghost projects or shoddy work,”. Where engineers compromise standards, we will refer them to COREN for sanctions and prosecute them in court. Nigerians deserve quality infrastructure and full value for public funds.”, Dr Aliyu declared.
He noted that COREN’s technical expertise will strengthen ICPC’s Constituency and Executive Projects Tracking Initiative (CEPTI), ensuring government-funded projects meet approved designs and safety standards.
The ICPC boss condemned the recurring tragedy of building collapses, calling for urgent preventive measures:
According to him, “We must stop this cycle before more lives are lost. Together, we will investigate root causes, block loopholes, and ensure only qualified professionals handle public projects. COREN must alert us to any red flags in the field.”
Dr. Aliyu stressed that ICPC cannot be everywhere at once and urged COREN to be its “eyes on the ground” to protect the engineering profession’s integrity and public trust.
On his part, Engr. Prof. Abubakar reaffirmed COREN’s readiness to work hand-in-hand with ICPC to enforce compliance, sanction erring practitioners, and restore confidence in Nigeria’s engineering sector.
“This MoU is not just a document it is a renewed commitment to uphold professional excellence, public safety, and national development,” he said.
With this partnership, both agencies are sending a clear message: the era of cutting corners in Nigeria’s engineering projects is over.
