Ending government intervention in civil engineering bodies and improving competition in engineering services are among the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development’s plans for enhancing the quality of the construction industry across the country, Abbas Akhoundi, the minister announced on Sunday.
Akhoundi said he strongly supports the integrity and independence of construction engineering organizations adding that such bodies “should operate with minimum reliance on the government.”
He made the comments at a ceremony to launch the 7th round Tehran Construction Engineering Organization — a powerful regulatory body that oversees construction standards
The minister called on the TCEO board members to employ young engineers for “developing a legal and professional framework” for its operations and urged them to fight corruption and conflict of interest.
He reiterated that the TCEO is not only responsible for promoting professionalism in engineering works, but should also help enhance the progress and welfare of the country.
On the new council’s responsibility in reviving the social status of engineers, he said the “unprofessional acts of some engineers had undermined” the people’s confidence in the entire engineering community.
“The construction industry, as a developed sector with vast subsectors needs experts and specialists at the helm. A first priority in promoting professionalism should be strong policies that check and prevent the influence of vested interests in this sector.”
Earlier in September, Akhoundi issued a decree prohibiting engineers who hold state or government office from contesting TCEO elections in order to avoid conflict of interest in the crucial body and the process of issuing building permits and its oversight process.
It was the first instruction of its kind from the ministry. The decree also aimed to exclude unprofessional members from the board, improve work ethics and promote transparency.
