ABSG embarks on a two-day workshop to strengthen quality infrastructural delivery

Udoka Agwu, Umuahia

Abia State Government (ABSG) has commenced two-day capacity building workshop on quality assurance and quality control aimed at strengthening the delivery of public infrastructure projects and ensuring value for state government’s funds.

Onyinye Nwosu, the convener and Director General the state Project Implementation Bureau while speaking International Conference Centre, Umuahia said the 2-day capacity building workshop is aimed at collaborative session between contractors and various MDA, s” Theworkshop is aimed at having a collaborative session between the contractors and various MDAs.” said Nwosu.l

The workshop themed “Quality Execution: A Shared Ownership in Building High Quality Resilient Infrastructure Through Collaborative Project Management”, is designed to enhance technical competence and ensure that infrastructure projects in the state meet global standards .

The DG ASPIB added that the workshop reflects the Governor’s vision for excellence in public project delivery and long-term infrastructure sustainability.

“Today we are hosting our two-day capacity building workshop where we are bringing in our contractors and also the MDAs in the state government for a collaborative session. “We all know that our dear Governor has transformed the state into a massive construction site.

“In order to make sure that we deliver quality infrastructure that can stand the test of time and be sustainable, even when this administration has left, we have to make sure that we execute the right, quality assurance and quality control processes.

“So this is a workshop where we can talk about our processes and also the quality management plan that the state government has put in place to be able to track what goes on, on site, system that guides everybody,” Nwosu stated.

The Director General explained that the workshop was designed to help contractors and other stakeholders understand the quality assurance and quality control processes required for public projects, noting that infrastructure must be built with a long-term perspective.

“We have to think about 50 to 100 years from now. That means putting in place the right quality assurance and quality control processes. It cannot be done without carrying along our contractors and other stakeholders,” Nwosu said

He further said that the training would enable contractors to understand expectations on project sites and help regulatory bodies and supervising engineers ensure that projects are properly scoped and executed.

Prince Chukwudi. an Engineer in his presentation on geotechnical and geological exploration,  emphasised the importance of proper soil and site investigation before the commencement of construction projects.

According to him, many infrastructure failures occur when projects begin without adequate geological and geotechnical studies.

He said that proper geotechnical exploration ensures that project designs align with the realities of the construction site, thereby preventing cost overruns and structural defects.

“If a project is supposed to cost about $100,000, lack of proper geological exploration could push the cost to $200,000 or more. That is why these investigations are critical before any construction begins,” he explained.

Chukwuma Okolo, a participant and a Senior Project Controller at the Bureau in his contrion described the workshop as a significant step towards reforming project implementation systems in Nigeria.

He said the initiative would help curb the long-standing issue of abandoned or poorly executed public projects across the country.

Okolo further noted that the creation of the Bureau by Governor Otti was aimed at addressing decades of inefficiencies in public infrastructure development.

“ASPIB was created with good intentions after studying the enormous wastage that has occurred since independence. We are talking about billions of dollars spent on projects that did not deliver value.

“ASPIB is essentially a preventive mechanism. It ensures that projects are done according to prescribed standards so that contractors and government officials alike are protected and public funds are not wasted,” Okolo added

The workshop brought together contractors, engineers, project managers and other key stakeholders in the construction sector to deepen their understanding of best practices in project execution, quality management and compliance with established standards.