WITH the storm over the Federal Government's preference for foreign expertise in some projects yet to settle, protests have sprouted from professional bodies in the construction industry on the recent plan by the Bureau for Public Procurement (BPP) to categorize consultants and service providers as a means of addressing a troubled sector.The protest is coming from an unusual quarters - Registrars of Professional Regulatory Bodies in Construction Industry. The group represents all the seven professional groups in the sector, namely Architects Registration Council of Nigeria (ARCON), Council for the Registration of in Nigeria (CORBON), Council for Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), andEstate Surveyors and Valuers Registration Board of Nigeria (ESVARBON).Other members of the group are Surveyors Council of Nigeria (SURCON), Quantity Surveyors Registration Board of Nigeria (QSRBN), and Town Planners Registration Council of Nigeria (ATOPCON)At the recently concluded presentation by BPP to stakeholders on plans for a national database for registration, categorization and classification of federal contractors, consultants and service providers; the demands of the sector operatives came to the fore as representatives marshaled their arguments on why the Bureau should back pedal on the move to categorize professionals and other sundry issues.Similarly, In a formal letter addressed to BPP Director General, Mr. Emeka Ezeh, an engineer, signed by the Chairman, committee of Registrars, Mr. Kolawole Sanni, who doubles as Registrar, TOPREC, S.N. Yunusa, ARCON, Felix Atume, COREN, Aliyu Ova, CORBON, Thomas Audu, ESVARBON, Winston Ayeni, SURCON and Godson Moneke, QSRBN, the group demanded as follows;ONE: before any consultant can be listed in the BPP database, such should have been registered by the relevant professional regulatory body.TWO: the database should be reviewed yearly for consultants to take cognizance of yearly practice eligibility requirements,THREE: categorization in terms of professional competence is within the purview of professional regulation and this should so remain.Sanni told The Guardian 'we stand by our submission that technical consultancy classification is not possible in all cases. Where possible, rating competencies or capacities can only be done by the appropriate professional regulator.'From BPP presentation, it would appear, it has no problem in reviewing its database yearly as demanded by our statutes, as well as ensuring that technical service providers/ consultants are first registered by the appropriate regulatory body within the industry before being listed by it.'He stated that the group may seek legal redress, if it's demands are not met. 'We can be classified as professional groups but not internal classification as BPP seeks to do. We hope order and rationality will prevail eventually. Our services are knowledge and skill based and you would not have been certified if you did not meet those standards. We believe in an open and level field for all to thrive and prove their worth.'According to Sanni, local professionals should also be protected. 'Foreign technical service providers should also be made to first register with local affiliates and regulatory bodies as demanded by our Laws before they can be listed by BPP. Examples abound of foreigners working in Nigeria without proper certification. When infrastructure and developments fail, they are difficult to trace for sanctioning'However, Ezeh said recently that the responsibility, enshrined in section 5(h) of the Public Procurement Act 2007, expects the Bureau to maintain a national database of the particulars of Federal contractors and service providers for ease of information sourcing, and analysis and in conformity with the needs of the new information age.He disclosed that the exercise is anticipated to enhance efficiency, save cost in public procurement, improve budget implementation, and increase professionalism, besides initiating transparency in public procurement process. With the avowal believe that the exercise by implication will help reduce corruption to the barest level in the process.
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