Africa-Press – Uganda. In a bid to fight quack engineers and also address the challenge of shoddy works on different infrastructure across the country, authorities at Uganda institution of Professional engineers want government to expedite the amendment process of the engineers registration Act which was enacted in 1969.
In the recent past, the country has been grappling with a challenge of shoddy works at different infrastructural developments which has led to loss of lives and property especially where buildings have collapsed, bridges and roads washed away.
In most cases the the blame has been attributed to poor workmanship especially by engineers.
In a bid to address such challenges, the President of Uganda Institution of Professional Engineers (UIPE) Eng. Andrew Muhwezi wants Parliament to expedite the amendment of the Engineers Registration Act 2012.
“It is true we have some quacks like any other profession, but sometimes problems emanate from the developers who deviate from the engineer’s advice especially while constructing private buildings, they don’t honour taking materials to the laboratory for testing before they’re used in construction,” Eng Andrew Muhwezi said.
He added that the Engineers Registration amendment Bill 2012 should be expedited to address some of the gaps in the Engineering industry
Speaking at the APN Waligo Memorial lecture in Jinja, Eng. Muhwezi reasoned that if amended the Engineers Registration Act shall compel all engineers to have a practicing certificate which shall help fight quack engineers
He is also asking for government’s support towards the engineering sector in a bid to train more engineers since the country is still having a huge deficit of affordable housing.
“Available data indicate that the country has a housing deficit of about 20,000 affordable housing and the only people to mitigate that gap are engineers hence we need more engineers therefore we need support such that upcoming engineers can get internship and other placement to develop their capabilities, he said
While giving a key note address the Chief Executive Officer of Electricity Regulatory Authority Eng. Ziria Tibalwa challenged her fellow engineers to embrace artificial intelligence in a bid to practice practice sustainable engineering aimed social economic development.
Different engineers have used this platform to benchmark on key issues that ought to be done in order to improve their profession.
The APN Waligo memorial lecture is an annual event aimed at remembering former Prime Minister of Uganda Eng Abraham Nkalubo Waligo who was the first Electrical engineer in East and Central Africa.
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