Presidential Executive Order 5 driving local content in construction jobs—ACEN
The leadership of the Association for Consulting Engineering in Nigeria (ACEN) has started a strategic restructuring that will encourage members to take advantage of the Presidential Executive Order 5 in fitting into any construction job in the country.
President of ACEN, Charles ‘Yele Akindayomi who spoke recently at the association’s Extra-ordinary General Meeting in Abuja, expressed delight that the days when Nigeria awarded contracts to foreign engineers and consultants at the expense of local professionals were over.
While calling on construction engineers to ensure that projects’ designs are in line with international best practices, he averred that “We are glad that the days of award of contracts to foreign engineers and consultants are over. All we need is to reposition our firms to take advantage of the Order 5. We’ve written to MDAs on the Order, and will be visiting them”.
With the theme, ‘[The Role of Engineering Consultants in the Implementation of the Presidential Executive Order 5’, the forum deliberated on the process of taking advantage of the Order in repositioning local engineers for necessary actions.
Business Hilights recalls that President Muhammadu Buhari had in February, signed the said Executive Order 5, with the intention of improving local content in science, engineering and technology procurement.
In his remarks, the Minister for Water Resources, who is also a member of the Technical and Guideline Committee on the Order, hinted that the guidelines for effective implementation of the Order 5 would be ready soon.
He further expressed the need for local engineers to play prominent role in all construction projects, stressing that they have the capacity to compete with expatriates.
He added that with the order, Nigerian engineers would consequently be in charge of their home affairs, and grow with time.
“The Order 5 is the best that has happened to Nigerian professionals. The need for local content development is unprecedented, and the need for Nigerians to lead even when we have foreign consultants and contractors is paramount.
The minister disclosed that the Order has succeeded in entrenching principles of local content, provided capacity building for local engineers, including the application of science and technology in all sectors of the economy.
