Stakeholders in welding pass vote of no confidence on Board
Stakeholders in welding in Nigeria have passed a vote of no confidence on the Executive Board and the Board of Trustee (BOT)Â of the Nigerian Institute of Welding (NIW).
In a communique issued at the end of the National stakeholders conference on Welding in Nigeria, held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on November 8, 2022, the stakeholders expressed unhappiness with the bad state of NIW, arising from disorganized, ineffective and self-imposed leadership in the Institute.
This, they said, has led to the multi-billion naira facility of the Institute at Obayantor in Edo State being in a deplorable state, without appropriate utilization by the host community and the nation at large. They regretted that the facility, which ought to be yielding income for the Institute, promote commercial and economic development in the community as well as create employment for the locals is in terrible bad shape.
The stakeholders noted that the deteriorating state of the Institute has resulted in the breach of constitutional provisions such as
- holding onto office as President for 16years against the 4years stipulation despite agitation by stakeholders;
- and submission of an unapproved Constitution to the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) –
- changing roles of Executive Officers including the sitting President to now be a BOT member while still a President.
Other infractions include
- forgery of board member’s signature as an approver of the illegal Constitution submitted to CAC without review and ratification at an Annual General Meeting (AGM);
- none submission of audited accounts of the Institute as required by CAMA (Companies and Allied Matters) Act to CAC in the past 4 years;
- none submission of AGM report of the institute as required by CAMA Act to CAC in the past 7years;
- and poor membership (individual and institutions) commitment to affairs of the institute for the last 5 years.
The stakeholders also accused the Executive Board of NIW of
- mismanagement of the funds of the Institute with no report of expenditures to relevant bodies of the Institute;
- non-payment of salaries for upwards of 40 months;
- submission of non -peer reviewed National Welding Policy, through the Ministry of Science and Technology, to Federal Executive Council for approval; and
- disregard for standard processes on sensitive issues.
“The Meeting was in compliance with the NIW original Constitutional provisions needed to convene an emergency meeting on very important issues in the interest of the Institute, hence the call for this meeting by stakeholders,” the communique read.
“Stakeholders further observed that convening of the general meeting was basically the only option to save the Nigerian Institute of Welding (NIW) from total collapse, reactivate stakeholders’ confidence in NIW’s continued relevance to the socioeconomic needs of the nation.
This is in the light that all other constitutional options such as Annual General Meeting (AGM), Board of Trustee (BOT) intervention, Governing Board Counsel, etc failed to address yearnings on the issues at hand. Failure of the interventions and counsels were as a result of non-responsiveness of the Executive Board.”
The stakeholders dissolved the BOT and the Executive Board of the Institute and called on CAC to disregard the reviewed constitution.
They notified all stakeholders in connection with NIW, including government agencies to put on hold all transaction and called for the immediate setting up of a caretaker committee to oversee the affairs of the Institute for the next twelve months, and conduct a proper election for the reconstitution of BOT and election of the Executive Board.
The stakeholders also notified the International Institute of Welding (IIW) and South African Institute of Welding, to ignore and disregard any communication with the current President of the NIW; and called for immediate reactivation of the NIW website (www.niginstituteofwelding.com
They further informed the general public that any meeting, AGM, EGM, or gathering of any kind initiated by any member of the current BOT and or Executive Board “is a fraudulent gathering and should be disregarded by all stakeholders.”
The Stakeholder organisations in attendance at the conference include
- NIW BOT, Nigerian Governing Board Members,
- NIW Management Team led by Authorized National Body (ANB) Chief Executive (Mr. Ayo Adeniyi),
- NIW Authorized Training Bodies (ATB),
- NIW Institutional members,
- employed staff of NIW, Nigerian Welders and Fitters Union (NIWELFU),
- Manufacturing Industries,
- NDT Companies,
- Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN )(Observer),
- Oil and Gas Trainers Association of Nigeria (OGTAN) (Observer),
- ANTEP (Observer), Welding Engineers,
- Welding Technologists and Welding Inspectors, other Industry related Associations and Allied Professionals.
