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Surveyors advocate new technology, professionalism for advancement
The Association of Private Practicing Surveyors of Nigeria (APPSN) on Wednesday in Lagos called for skills upgrade and adoption of technology, for advancement of the profession and the nation.
APPSN, a subgroup of the Nigerian Institution of Surveyors (NIS), Lagos State Branch made the call at its 2023 Annual General Meeting and Luncheon.
APPSN Chairman, Mr Ibikunle Adaranijo, who was re-elected, said the branch was partnering with some firms to help its members acquire good survey equipment to catch up with new trends.
He said that the Lagos State Government in 2019 remapped the whole of the state, hence the need to upgrade equipment of its members through an installmental purchase plan with some firms.
Adaranijo said that all old Certificates of Occupancy issued in the state before the period were affected, hence the need for the experts to purchase new equipment for precision in charting.
“Without that instrument, there will be serious problems upon problems in Lagos State,” he said.
According to him, surveying is the bedrock of all development, but errors of the past resulted in cases of building collapse, which the association, the State Government and other stakeholders were working to resolve.
Adaranijo said the theme “Re-Engineering Professionalism in Private Practice Sector Towards Service Delivery” was apt toward addressing challenges for growth of Nigeria.
He said that the association was taming quackery and recently apprehended a quack who was impersonating experts by using fake Surveyors Council of Nigeria (SURCON) numbers to execute shoddy jobs.
The Chairman said that the projects executed by the accused person failed, which led to complaints, leading to investigation and arrest of the quack.
He also called for use of the APPSN application to check the list of certified surveyors online.
The Guest Speaker, Mr Tope Ojo, said surveyors must migrate from analogue methods and use technology to upgrade business models to advance the practice and Nigeria.
He said that better technology could help people chart land from whatever distance and address several societal problems.
Ojo, a fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Estate Surveyors and Valuers, listed requirements for professionalism to include training, certification, experience, integrity/character, among others.
He also listed qualities that make professionals stand out to include soft skills, networking, negotiation, emotional intelligence, leadership skills, marketing, business model and business strategy.
“A business model describes how an organisation creates, delivers, and captures value, in economic, social, cultural or other contexts.
“The process of business model construction and modification is also called business model innovation and forms a part of business strategy,” he said.
An Architect, Mr Fola Jibowu, who represented the Special Guest of Honour, Mr Kayode Anibaba, called for government regulation mandating the public to patronise surveyors and other professionals before embarking on projects.
This, he said, would curb the problem of ignorance, noting that a lot of people were not aware of physical development rules.
“Government legislation has to make the citizenry more aware to make them know that they must contract or consult professionals before they do anything from purchasing of the land to designing, to construction,” he said.
Chairman, Lagos Branch of the Nigerian Institution of Surveyors (NIS), Mr Kolade Kasim, stressed the need to be meticulous in checking activities on site to curb infractions which may not be noticed.
He said practitioners must look inwards towards tackling problems within, for excellence in service delivery.
Other speakers gave insights on how to create more awareness as surveyors and other built environment professionals were not permitted by law to advertise.
News
Flood incidents: NEMA activates operational offices nationwide to support states, conduct assessment
In furtherance of its proactive flood risk management, the Director General National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mrs Zubaida Umar has activated all Zonal, Territorial and Operation offices of the Agency nationwide to work with the States Emergency Management Agencies (SEMAs) within their area of responsibilities to carry out rescue operations and conduct assessment of the situation.
The NEMA Zonal, Territorial and Operation offices are located in Lagos, Ibadan, Ekiti, Abuja, Minna, Jos, Enugu, Owerri, Port Harcourt, Edo, Uyo, Kano, Sokoto, Kaduna, Maiduguri, Yola and Gombe. At the headquarters NEMA alsooperates a toll-free emergency contact line: 0800CALLNEMA (080022556362) in addition to all its social media platforms through which feedback from members of the public can be received nationwide.
Consequently, NEMA Search and Rescue officers have been deployed across the states and providing the much desired support in coordination of rescue operations with SEMAs and other stakeholders at recently flooded areas and communities. The Agency is also conducting rapid assessment to determine any further assistance that may be required in the impacted communities.
The rescue efforts by NEMA is in addition to the ongoing sensitization and awareness activities being carried out to alert the public of the predicted flood for necessary actions to be taken to avert negative impacts.
On Wednesday 3rd July, the Director General NEMA, Mrs Zubaida Umar was in Anambra State on flood advocacy where she discussed with the Deputy Governor who represented the Governor, religious and community leaders on measures to avert and mitigate against flood in the state which often record severe flooding annually. She has also previously visited several states and stakeholders across the country on the same mission with plans to continue with the advocacy.
As part of its pre-rainy season flood prevention advocacy, the Agency engaged the media in the placement of flood sensitization jingles, held emergency coordination forums with critical stakeholders to prepare them for the predicted disaster.
The Agency, had soon after the flood prediction written all State Governments with the list of Local Governments that are at risk and outlined actions required to be taken also to avert or mitigate against the disaster. A number of states that heeded the advisory from NEMA have acknowledged their early actions matched with the warnings and NEMA responses that have made lots of differences.
NEMA wishes to reemphasize the flood warning while calling on all stakeholders including State and Local Government to be prepared with the intensifying of the rain season.
The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General Yushau Ahmed, has announced that the monthly allowance of corps members will be increased once the ongoing negotiations on the new minimum wage are completed.
Ahmed made this known on Saturday while addressing 2,762 corps members of Batch B, Stream One, at the Ogun State NYSC Orientation Camp in Sagamu.
He congratulated the corps members for making it to the orientation camp, noting that many of their colleagues had not been so lucky academically.
“Let me also remind you of the camp rules that you are not allowed to post the camp activities online or on social media. Three of your colleagues elsewhere were found breaking these rules and posting camp activities on social media, and they have been decamped,” Ahmed warned.
He also cautioned against night journeys, emphasizing the importance of seeking permission and finding safe accommodation before traveling. “We don’t want to lose any of you. You are special and dear to us,” he said.
Regarding their allowance, Ahmed reassured the corps members, “Don’t worry, as soon as the ongoing negotiations on the minimum wage are concluded, you can be sure that your allowance too will definitely go up. There is no way the government will forget you because you are really special.”
The DG also urged the corps members to consider a career in the military, praising their military skills displayed during the parade guard mounted for him. He appealed to them to take their security seriously, noting that while the camp has provided tight security, they must also be cautious not to endanger themselves.
Ahmed further advised the corps members to respect the culture of the communities they will be posted to for their primary assignment and to discharge their duties responsibly as worthy ambassadors of the 51-year-old scheme.
In his welcome address, the Ogun State Coordinator of NYSC, Mrs. Olayinka Nasamu, said the camp, which opened on Wednesday, June 26, has a total of 2,762 corps members, comprising 922 males and 1,423 females. She highlighted the camp’s efforts to prevent the outbreak of cholera, including the provision of handwashing stations and sanitizers.
Nasamu also listed the needs of the orientation camp, including the sinking of additional boreholes, provision of additional water reservoirs, inadequate bunks and mattresses, lack of functional ambulance, and provision of proper food store.
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