The President of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Engr. Ali Rabiu, has raised concerns over the involvement of unqualified persons in critical engineering projects in Cross River State, warning that the practice could put lives and property at risk.
Rabiu spoke during an inspection of the major landslide site in Calabar, Cross River State, where the NSE assessed the extent of damage caused by the disaster.
The landslide has raised fresh concerns about environmental safety, infrastructure development and the need for qualified professionals to oversee projects involving roads, drainage, erosion control and other critical structures.
The NSE president reportedly expressed concern over the use of people without the required professional engineering training to handle engineering-related decisions.
He stressed that government should rely on qualified and registered engineers when dealing with projects capable of affecting public safety.
“My only advice is that government should continue to make use of the services of its professional engineers rather than bringing quacks, people who are not trained,” Rabiu said.
He described the involvement of untrained individuals in engineering works as unacceptable, warning that mistakes in such projects could have serious consequences for communities.
“That is very, very wrong,” he added.
The NSE president, however, acknowledged ongoing efforts to address the Calabar landslide, noting that he had been informed that a contractor with experience in dealing with similar environmental challenges had been brought in.
He referenced the reclamation of the severely affected Araj Resort site in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, as an example of how professional engineering expertise could be applied to address difficult environmental situations.
The inspection comes amid growing concern over landslides and other environmental disasters across parts of Cross River State.
Recent incidents have resulted in deaths, destruction of property and displacement of residents, increasing calls for stronger preventive measures and long-term engineering solutions.
The NSE's warning has consequently reignited debate over the standard of engineering supervision in the state and whether qualified professionals are being sufficiently involved in projects designed to protect communities from environmental hazards.
The society has maintained that engineering projects must be handled by trained and professionally qualified personnel, particularly where public safety is involved.
For residents affected by the Calabar landslide and other erosion-related disasters, the latest warning underscores the urgent need for government and relevant agencies to prioritise competent engineering expertise in both emergency interventions and long-term infrastructure projects.
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