By Seyi Babalola
Kaduna State is ‘absolutely’ ready to take infrastructure supply to new heights under Governor Uba Sani, following essential capability-enhancing training developed by the governor for senior state officials. This was demonstrated by the state governor, Uba Sani, took critical state officials on international tours to understudy project management and delivery.
Gov. Sani has also publicly said that high-quality infrastructure will allow his administration to achieve its aim of making Kaduna the top choice for investors. However, in order to develop outstanding and durable infrastructure, professional project managers are required. As a result, Governor Sani Uba resolved to provide senior government project managers with the most recent knowledge and abilities in project control and construction quality management.
To that end, top project managers in the Kaduna State government received critical capability-enhancing training from Penhall Consulting and Zoe Talent Solution of the United Arab Emirates, thanks to the governor’s identification of the best training and consulting firms in Nigeria and abroad to provide the highest quality resource persons with knowledge and skills on global best practices in this field.
In Kigali, participants got intensive training in construction quality management, project control, and project management over the course of one week.
Kaduna State is the first state government to expose its crucial project managers to this level of global best practices, and other states can emulate this worthwhile initiative. Participants include high-ranking 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.
Commenting on the training, which took place from the 29th of January to the 4th of February 2024, 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. 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”.
Permanent Secretary Mr Habib Lawal commented, “Kudos to the training organization 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 learning experience!”
Delivering high-quality projects starts with the quality of the project executors and monitors, the trainers said.
They added that Kaduna State is on the right track to maximising value in all the projects through practical projects and quality control.
They charges other states to emulate “this bold step to empower their staff for high-quality project impact.”
