•Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State
By Chijioke Kingsley
The Kaduna State government appears determined to extricate the state from the clutches of underdevelopment by embarking on massive infrastructural development.
The quest is in consonance with the campaign promises of the Governor Sani Uba who believes that good and quality infrastructure will help his government realise the dream of making Kaduna the preferred destination for investors.
The governor believes that capacity building and human capital development remain the bedrock of sustainability development.
Consequently, the governor picked world-class trainers, Penhall Consulting and Zoe Talent Solution of UAE, to provide quality for top project managers in the Kaduna State public service.
The participants were taken to Kigali, Rwanda for one week, 29 January to 4th February, of intensive training on project management, project control, and construction quality management.
The aim was threefold: build the capabilities of public service project managers and bring them up to date with global best practices; empower them with skills and knowledge that guarantee top quality for all state government projects; and retool them for optimal efficiency in project management and control and impart in their cost-efficiency skills so the government gets value for money.
Participants included high government officials, policymakers, and civil servants – a Permanent Secretary, a Senior Special Adviser to the Governor on projects and directors from the Ministry of Works.
The resource persons and facilitators were top, hands-on project managers and former government officials with knowledge and experience of project control and quality management in a dynamic, volatile, and unstable environment like Nigeria. They understand the peculiarities and nuances of managing projects in Nigeria and underpin local best practices with global, cutting-edge, and innovative solutions in project control and quality control.
Delivering high-quality projects starts with the quality of the project executors and monitors. Kaduna State is on the right track to maximising value in all the projects through practical projects and quality control.
Commenting on the training, the Special Adviser to the Governor on projects, Dr Baba Musa, stated, “I feel delighted with the training on Project Control and Construction Quality Control that I attended. The course provided comprehensive and practical knowledge, equipping me with the necessary skills to ensure high quality standards in construction projects.
He disclosed that the trainers were highly knowledgeable and engaging, making the learning experience enjoyable and insightful.
“I am confident that the training has significantly enhanced my abilities in overseeing and maintaining top-notch construction quality”, he said.
Permanent Secretary Mr Habib Lawal who commended the organisers of the training said, “Kudos to the training organisers for delivering an engaging project control training in such a conducive atmosphere. The diverse topics discussed were enriching and highly relevant to our professions. The training has undoubtedly empowered us with the knowledge and tools to excel in our respective roles in the office. Thank you for a truly impactful”.
Kaduna state is the first state government to expose its crucial project managers to this level of global best practices. Other state governments are encouraged to follow suit because of the enormous benefits this brings to the quality of projects they deliver.
