The Engineers Registration Board (ERB) is set to enforce a rule requiring all foreign nationals involved in engineering projects to register and obtain ERB certification within four months of their arrival in the country.
This in light of the increasing number of large infrastructure projects in Uganda, many of which are undertaken by international firms requiring foreign expertise.
Eng. Namugera Ronald, the Registrar, Engineers Registration Board told the CEO Magazine that the move to strictly enforce the certification is a result of some foreign engineers practicing in Uganda without formal certification and those found culpable will be deported to their home countries.
“You cannot go to any country and just become an engineer; whether it’s Turkey, UK or India. Some of us have studied in the UK but you can’t become an engineer if you’re not certified. It’s only in Uganda where someone comes and gets a contract and starts working and no one has ever looked at their papers. We want that to end!” Eng. Namugera said.
The ERB will enforce compliance with the Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration. Section 21 of the Engineers Registration Act (ERA), requires all foreign engineers working in Uganda to be certified by the ERB before being issued work permits.
So far, 229 foreign engineers have been certified with 90 engineers pending certification.
The ERB is mandated by law to register, to regulate and control engineers and their activities within Uganda and it is set to publish and gazette the list of formally certified engineers legally authorized to practice this year on February, 28th.
In a media statement released today, the Board noted that to qualify for certification, engineers must have practiced for at least four years, demonstrating independent engineering judgment on technical projects under the mentorship of a senior registered engineer in their field of specialization.
“As part of the process, they must submit a technical engineering report of up to 6,000 words and undergo an interview before the Board,” the statement reads in part.
Upon approval, registered engineers are required to pay annual fees to be listed and maintained on the Engineers Register. To date, the Board has registered a total of 1,915 national engineers across various engineering disciplines
Beyond the current framework of the Buy Uganda Build Uganda (BUBU) policy, which primarily focuses on local material supply, the ERB, in a recent meeting with the Public
Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority, strongly advocated for expanding provisions to enable more Ugandan engineers in technical fields to take on strategic roles as counterpart staff.
This is meant to enhance their technical capacity in the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of major engineering projects.
To enhance the mobility of engineers and professional engineering services across the region, the East African Partner States signed a Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA).
This agreement supports the commitments made by partner states to liberalize trade in professional engineering services under the EAC Common Market protocol.
Through the MRA, registered engineers from each EAC Partner State can offer their services across borders. The agreement acknowledges the qualifications and registration of engineering professionals, allowing them to work in any signatory country.