CIPMN, ministry collaborate to enhance civil servants’ skills in project management

The Chartered Institute of Project Managers of Nigeria (CIPMN) and the Federal Ministry of Special Duties and Inter-Govemental Affairs have commenced plans to train civil servants across the country on project management skills.

Speaking while paying a courtesy visit to the ministry, the Registrar General of CIPMN, Henry Ifeanyi Mbadiwe said the institute is out to ensure that it’s mandates are carried out for the overall good of the country.

He explained that the visit signified the beginning of a relationship and partnership to push project management practices in Nigeria as well as to support the mandates of the institute towards ensuring that project management is properly regulated in Nigeria.

The CIPMN team also conferred on the Minister, Hon. Zaphaniah Jisalo and the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Onwusoro Maduka Ihemelandu, fellow awards of the Chartered Institute of Project Managers of Nigeria, noting that “by the presentation of this award, you are taking up that unique position to drive project management in Nigeria.

“To also ensure that project management in this ministry and Nigeria remain at the foremost of your thinking in delivering of any national initiative in this country and to work collaboratively with CIPMN to ensure that its mandates are being carried out effectively and in accordance to the renewed hope agenda of this country,” Mr Mbadiwe said.

While receiving the Award on behalf of the Minister,, the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Onwusoro Maduka Ihemelandu stated that the training will well equip as well as place civil servants on good stead by enhancing their capacity on project management and delivery.

“We can do project management upscaling across the 774 local government areas in Nigeria but starting from the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

“The Permanent Secretaries at the Federal and states level will be the first beneficiaries of the CIPMN training, followed by Directors, then every civil servant across the 774 local governments of Nigeria.

“For us in the Ministry, we are inter-govemental so, in our engagement with our sub-nationals which is states and local governments, we will try to carry the Institute along in our conferences and stakeholders engagements.

The transformative permanent secretary who thinks outside the box while urging CIPMN to organised a stakeholders forum in order to have MDAs on board said some of the major challenges bedevilling the system is paucity of knowledgeable skills on costing projects and naira volatility.

“Giving to my background in service which is active in project management in quotes, you need to know the structure, how it is conceptualise, monitor, evaluate and how to close down a project. Within a project too, you need to know how to cost project.

“Most of the problem we have is the cost management of a team project due to the volatile nature of Nigeria today, it could be one Naira, tomorrow ten Naira.

“Then, what about the quality assurance of materials used in any project? Be it bakery, be it textiles among others.

He further called for more collocation with Ministries,  Departments, Agencies and other stakeholders.

“There is a need for sensitisation which cuts across key stakeholders like the standards organisation of Nigeria, NSE, Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply Management of Nigeria, Bureau of Public Procurement among other strategic partners to achieve the desired results” he stated.

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