Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Works has organised a capacity building workshop aimed at addressing the evolving demands of modern infrastructure delivery and bridging generational and technical capacity gaps among its engineers and technicians.
According to a press statement issued by the Ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Mohammad Ahmed, the workshop—scheduled to be held across all six geopolitical zones—was recently conducted for the North-Central Zone in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
In his opening remarks, the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mr Olufunsho Adebiyi, stated that the generational and capacity gaps were largely due to the retirement of numerous experienced staff members.
He explained that to address this, a comprehensive personnel audit had been conducted and submitted to the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation for necessary action.
Emphasising the role of self-improvement, the Permanent Secretary remarked that competence is vital for employability in today’s performance-driven public service environment.
“Competence is a prerequisite for employability in a modern public service environment, where performance drives progression,”he said.
He also urged young professionals to adhere strictly to civil service rules, warning that any infractions would attract appropriate sanctions in line with existing regulations.
“The training refreshes core competencies in highway and bridge design, project and contract management, and applicable quality assurance procedures, while promoting cross-functional exposure to develop versatile, all-round professionals,” Adebiyi added.
Highlighting the importance of dynamic field experience, he stressed the need to rotate engineers across different regions and departments.
“A long-term stay in a single location or unit limits professional growth and technical adaptability,”he noted.
The workshop’s technical sessions featured expert-led lectures, including “Effective Supervision of Federal Highway Projects” by Engr. Olufemi Oyekanmi. He emphasised the urgency of resolving workforce overload and called for more manpower to support the increasing number of national projects.
“Field engineers must uphold discipline and deliver consistently, despite constraints,” he advised.
Engr Shausu delivered a session on “Effective Communication Skills”, stressing the essential role communication plays in project coordination and interdepartmental synergy.
Also, Engr Adebiyi spoke on “Ensuring Safety on Project Sites”, highlighting the need to strictly enforce safety protocols and maintain high operational standards to safeguard lives and infrastructure.