The Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria, (COREN) has rejected a proposed bill to amend the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) Act 2011 to enhance the sources of revenue.
The President, COREN Prof. Sadiq Abubakar said this when he appeared before the House of Representatives Committee on Industry on a Bill for an Act to amend ITF Act 2011 in Abuja on Wednesday.
The Fund had called for an amendment to clarify ambiguities in the interpretation of keywords in the principle Act define important terms, provide clarity and precision and enhance the fund sources of revenue and other related matters.
He said that if the proposed Bill was passed, ITF would have moved away from its original concept which Nigeria adopted from the Commonwealth system.
He said the concept was to enable young Nigerians who chose to study engineering and be thoroughly trained with hands-on experience.
He the new ITF would bring challenges to training, certification, licencing, monitoring, investigation, disciplinary, and prosecution of engineering students, and apprentices.
This according to him, will lead to legal tussle, and conflict of interests, adding that the situation would trigger unwillingness from suppliers, contractors, consultants, and both public and private sectors.
“Already there are indications that employers are agitated and are planning to contest the existing practice between them and ITF.
“Having seen ITF shifting from its mandate of a Fund towards a training, certification and regulatory outfit,” he said.
He, however, said that if the Bill had to be passed, certain clauses in the proposed amendment must go as provided in the white paper on a strategic plan for the development and control of engineering in Nigeria.
NAN
