NIOB mulls skills devt for artisans, others

Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB) has concluded plans to improve the skills of all artisans, craftsmen and professionals in the built environment through trainings. To kick-start this initiative, the body is deliberately staging its 45th Annual General Meeting/Conference in Ibadan, next week, with the theme: “Skills development and entrepreneurship in the construction industry.” The proposed training, NIOB President, Mr. Tunde Lasabi, said, was in line with Section 13:12.4 National Building Code (NBC, 2006), which maintains that the management of the execution of building works, including the supervision of artisans and tradesmen, shall be carried out by a registered builder.

He called on all professionals and stakeholders, including the general public, to take advantage of the training in order to help chart a future course for tackling current, socio-economic issues and entrench national harmony in driving the country forward. Justifying the hosting of the event, Lasabi said that it was aimed at focusing on craftsmen and artisans’ training, construction skills development, policy issues in the Nigerian economy and business skills development among construction professionals.

He added that builders would be taught skills in starting up their business and becoming employers of labour. According to him, the event was to create more awareness in National Vocational Qualification Framework, an initiative of National Board for Technical Education that was approved by the Federal Executive Council. This framework, he said, has provided a structure for the management, administration and accreditation of qualifications, adding that a national system of ordering National Vocational Qualifications (NVQS), according to progressive levels of attainment and areas of certified skills competence. Besides, Lasabi said that the event would also provide opportunity for peer review in global best practices.

He said: “As builders, our foremost concern is that the construction of buildings will not be left in the hands of quacks, but that builders in Nigeria will continue to play their roles effectively as the critical link in production management.” Lasabi pointed out that builders are more apt in imbibing professional technicalities in order to forge professional competences and interface with other building industry practitioners in joint efforts to harness resources for the future.