On Thursday, May 26, an extraordinary meeting of the General Assembly
of the Institution of Engineers (IER) took place in Kigali and discussed
various pertinent issues affecting the body.
According to the law establishing IER,
the General Assembly is the highest decision-making body of the Institution and
brings together all compliant members. It convenes at least once every year.
Its roles and responsibilities include
approving all policies of IER, examining, and adopting the internal rules and
regulations of the Institution and code of ethics, electing members of the
Governing Council, approving activity plans and budget for the Institution,
appointing external auditors as well as approving external financial audit
reports.
Key on agenda was among others to analyze
and approve the audited financial reports for the years ended 2019, 2020 and 2021,
an exercise that had been hampered by the Covid-19.
Much as the mentioned reports were
reviewed and approved by relevant committees, they had to wait for the General
Assembly – which could not meet previously due to limitations on gatherings imposed
due to the pandemic.
The assembly also renewed the mandate
of the Governing Council for another three-year term.
According to article 23 of the law
establishing the Institution, the General Assembly elects Governing Council who
are supposed to serve for three (03) years term renewable once.
After reviewing the achievements that
were registered over the past three years and considering strenuous conditions in
which they operated during their first term that were blighted by the Covid-19
pandemic, the assembly unanimously elected the Governing Council for the second
term.
The Assembly also approved members of
the seven standing committees including; the Membership Committee, the
Continuous Professional Development Committee, the Professional, Compliance and
Inspection Committee, the Audit Committee, the Dispute and Conflict Resolution
Committee, the Social Welfare Committee and the Resource Mobilization and
Investment Committee.
Members of the General Assembly were
also briefed that effective January 2023, Rwanda will assume the presidency of
the World Federation of Engineering Organizations (WFEO), with Rwandan
engineer, Eng. Papias Dedeki Kazawadi as the president.
WFEO is an international body that
brings together national engineering bodies from at least 100 countries, and it
represents over 30 million engineers worldwide.
During the Assembly, members took note
and commended the reforms that have been carried out at the Institution’s
secretariat, which they said has brought about efficiency as reflected in the
growth in number of members and financial prudence.
Among the key resolutions from the
Assembly included a directive that the Governing Council work with the
Secretariat to come up with a strategy to guide the institution to embark on
long-term commercially viable projects, including building a complex that can
host its headquarters.
About the Institution
The Institution of
Engineers Rwanda (IER) was established in 2008 as learned society of
engineering profession with an aim to promote and develop engineering services
and best practice for sustainable development of our country.
This was in line with
government’s commitment to promote science and technology for the national
development, while promoting the engineering profession leading to improved
quality and efficiency of services.
Currently, the institution has 2,714 members.