By Ehis Agbon, Kaduna Nigeria. 14 August, 2025.
Kaduna, Nigeria — Chairman Society of Engineers Kaduna State, Mr. Arege Bawa, has called for stronger collaboration between engineers, government, and citizens to promote transparency in the construction sector.
Speaking at the Engineering and Construction Sector Transparency (CoST) Workshop in Kaduna, Bawa praised the Kaduna State Government for embracing the CoST initiative, which provides real-time public access to information on government infrastructure projects.
Bawa commended the Honourable Commissioner for his pioneering role as the first “champion engineer” of government construction in the state, announcing that the NSE would dedicate its next annual public lecture in his honour. He also lauded the Director General and the Public Procurement Authority (PPA) for their “unwavering support” in bringing CoST to Kaduna, as well as Governor Uba Sani for his commitment to the project.
“As engineers, our ethics are built on transparency, accountability, honesty, integrity, quality assurance, and value for money,” Bawa stated. “These same values are at the heart of CoST, which makes NSE and CoST natural partners.”
Highlighting the establishment of a Public Infrastructure Scorecard Committee in Kaduna — tasked with assessing and rating government projects — Bawa explained that engineers previously faced challenges in evaluating projects due to limited access to reliable information. “After today’s training, those barriers will fall. We will have real-time data — an engineer’s dream for informed evaluation,” he said.
The NSE leader also paid tribute to senior engineers and trailblazers in attendance, including the head of the Civil Engineering Chapter, Engr. Dr. Asmaru Adama, whom he described as a “symbol of excellence and diversity.”
Bawa stressed that good governance thrives on transparency and citizen participation, urging stakeholders to embrace constructive criticism as a tool for improvement rather than sabotage.
“For the past two years, we have ensured that civil society organisations and stakeholders are involved from planning to execution. We must sustain this approach — openness at every stage, dialogue without fear, and collective ownership of the future we are building,” he said.
The workshop, organised in partnership with the Kaduna State Government, aimed to equip participants with tools to monitor and evaluate public projects, ensuring that engineering standards and public trust go hand in hand.
