Builders’ body inaugurates new president, to certify 200,000 artisans By NAN

NIOB

The Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB) says
that it plans to certify 200,000 artisans and
craftsmen under the National Vocational
Qualification Framework (NVQF) in the next one
year.
Mr Shuaib Tijjani Birnin-Kudu made this known
after his investiture as the 19th President of the
Nigerian Institute of Building, on Friday night in
Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that
the ceremony also featured the investiture of 13
corporate members into the College of Fellows,
while 56 were inducted as corporate members of
the institute.
Tijjani said that the National Board for Technical
Education (NBTE) had approved the institute to
serve as an awarding body for the assessment
and certification of artisans and craftsmen.
He explained that the NIOB had developed the
National Occupational Standards to facilitate
training for the population of construction
workers in masonry, carpentry, plumbing,
electrical installation and metal fabrication
trades.
According to him, the NQVF will provide
opportunity for the unemployed youths to acquire
necessary skills for gainful employment in the
construction industry.
“This will help drive President Buhari’s quest to
stem the influx of this category of workers from
foreign countries into the country’s construction
sector.
“The NVQF shall be fully established and function
in collaboration with the NBTE and relevant
sector skills Council in line with the road map for
the power, works and housing sector.
“This will pave the way for a law restricting trade
practice to only duly certified and registered
artisans and craftsmen.
“The Assessment and Certification Board, which
we have established, is projected to train, assess
and certify 200,000 artisans within the next 12
months and up to two million in the next five
years,’’ he said.
He promised that under his leadership, the NIOB
was ready to partner all levels of government,
the private sector and other stakeholders to
achieve the projected generation of 20 million
jobs in the construction industry.
In a remark, the Chairman, NIOB College of
Fellows, Mr Dachollom Jambol, charged the newly
inducted fellows to demonstrate knowledge,
integrity and accountability in their role as the
“conscience of the institute’’.
“Your new position places on each of you roles
and responsibilities of grave enormous
importance.
“You are expected to provide leadership,
guidance and counseling, being the conscience of
the profession and the institute; responsible for
its growth and development in all aspects and
ramification.
“You must always lead by examples, act guided
by knowledge, professional ethics and code of
conduct, discharge your responsibilities
creditably in the service of our nation, institute
and profession,’’ Dalyop advised.
The outgoing president, Mr Tunde Lisabi, while
expressing gratitude for the support of members
during his two-year tenure, appealed that the
same level of cooperation be extended to his
successor.
NAN reports that goodwill messages were
received from other professional bodies in the
building environment, government agencies and
the Federation of Construction Industries.