The Former Governor of Cross River, Liyel Imoke has called for legislative actions to ensure that already funded projects are completed, especially when there is a change in government.
Imoke made this call on Wednesday in Abuja during the Induction of new members into the Chartered Institute of Project Managers of Nigeria (CIPMN) and the conferment of Honorary Fellow Awards to deserving Nigerians.
According to him, good project management will have a positive impact on socio-economic development of every society and if otherwise, poor project management will hamper the development of the society.
He said that the legislators should ensure proper nation building through infrastructural development and make strict laws to stop the abandonment of projects, especially when there is a change of government.
“There must be a call for legislative action that projects already funded by a particular administration should be completed except there is an overwhelming reason why such a project cannot be completed.
“If a project is going to have an impact on society and on the people, then component of the budget must be dedicated to ensure that such projects are completed for the benefit of the majority of the people.
“If we can have project that are well managed, completed, well executed and sustainable then it will practically have an impact on not just socio-economic growth but development across board.
“Sometimes, there is a lack of continuity, changing from government to government, non recognition of project completed, political reasons or other reasons often lead us not to complete important projects”, Imoke said.
Imoke said that aside political reasons, many other factors like capacity and manpower also affects project management and completion, which should be addressed.
He urged the newly inducted members of the institute to use their professional skills in addressing the numerous challenges of project management in Nigeria, so that the country can meet up to international standards.
In her remarks, Dr Victoria Okoronkwo, Chairman, Governing Council of the Institute said that the objective of the institute was to strengthen project managers and stakeholders to reposition and redefine their mindset.
She explained that the institute aims to change their attitudes and thought from the “Nigerian factor” to the “Global professional factor” since projects were the same all over the world.
Okoronkwo said that the council would also work to ensure that the CIPMN certificates and license gain not just national, but global recognition and acceptance.
“Currently, in collaboration with our supervising body, Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, efforts are being made for CIPMN license and certification to become a requirement for contract bidding.
“We have created Zonal Directorates in the six geopolitical zones with our National Secretariat in Abuja and to set up operational and monitoring offices (task force) across the 774 Local Government Areas in Nigeria.
“To achieve this, we are seeking collaborations with some Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs) considering the huge financial and logistics implication.
“To generate reliable data for all projects in Nigeria, to track ongoing projects with project managers, establish reports on projects in terms of challenges and the socio-economic consequences of completing or abandoning such projects.
“Under these circumstance, the CIPMN as a regulating body can interface between the project owners, project managers and project beneficiaries to make appropriate and informed recommendations to the government for necessary actions,” Okoronkwo said.
The chairman said that the Institute has also drawn the attention of President Muhammadu Buhari to another version of Project Management Bill passed by the National Assembly.
She explained that the Bill was coming after the President had assented the CIPMN establishment Act no 3 of 2018, saying that she called on Mr President to decline assent on the bill to avoid duplication.
She called on the new inductees to take their duties with all seriousness, stressing that their primary objective was to solve project related problems and become world class project managers.
Okoronkwo called for the cooperation and support of government at all levels to enable the Institute succeed in achieving its mandates. (NAN)
