WORRIED about persistent failed projects in the country, the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) has planned to step up the monitoring of on going government projects.

Areas to be monitored include, buildings and roads construction especially the technical projects that require expertise supervision.

Besides, a framework on proper road maintenance culture would soon be drawn up by the NSE to help preserve the nation's roads.

This was disclosed by the NSE President, Mustafa Shehu, Monday in Ilorin at a press briefing heralding the activities marking the 45th annual congress of the society. He said Nigerian engineers needed a prompt sanitization system in order to sift the activities of perceived quacks from those of bonafide members.

At the conference with the theme: "Strategies for Promotion of Sustainable Technology-based and Production-Driven Economy in Nigeria," Shehu, while praising the past activities of the Engineering Regulation Monitoring (ERM) in eradicating quackery in the profession, assured members of the public of stiff penalties that henceforth awaited those falling below the required standard of the engineering practice in Nigeria.

He said the NSE members should shun political pressures that would ordinarily make them to complete projects before their required dates. He believed that the development could not be divorced from increase in cases of failed projects in the country.

He added "because of all these complaints on building collapse and bad nature of constructed roads, the ERM goes round now for proper projects inspection. Their reports sent to the council are now going to be treated without knowing whose ox is gored. Anyone found wanting will be given appropriate treatment.

"We equally enjoin members of the public to co -operate with us by reporting cases of building collapse in their areas to the ERM. However on the issue of roads, I think maintenance culture on them should be stepped up. In most cases what we are lacking is not bad construction but poor maintenance."

"Sometimes, road failure occurs due to political situation. From our previous experiences, sometimes engineers are not given required professional time to complete projects. All these must stop. There has to be sincerity in any policy if we want success on it. But it is unfortunate that in Nigeria, we have too many inconsistent policies."