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NIQS urges ethical standards, synergy in built environment

By Bertram Nwannekanma
23 April 2018   |   2:11 am
For sustainability of practice and enhancement of their relevance in the country, quantity surveyors have called for synergy among professionals in the built environment.Leading the call at a business Cocktail meeting organised by the Lagos State chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors....

NIQS President, QS Obafemi Onashile. PHOTO: NIQS

For sustainability of practice and enhancement of their relevance in the country, quantity surveyors have called for synergy among professionals in the built environment. Leading the call at a business Cocktail meeting organised by the Lagos State chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS) in Lagos, the Vice president of the Institute, Mr. Olayemi Shonubi, who represented the president, said quantity surveyors should market their profession by creating a synergy with other professionals.

He stressed the need for firms to build strong collaboration, as there is a lot of knowledge that should not go down the drain.According to him, sustainability could only come when the firms are alive. He also urged them to build on core ideology and imbibe innovative spirits, saying they are key to sustainability.In his contribution, the chairman, Association of Consulting Quantity Surveyors, Mr. Hakeem Smith urged quantity surveyors to ensure best ethical standards in their practice.

He said integrity is key for attaining sustainability.Smith further called for manpower development among quantity surveyors in order to respond positively to the changing times as well as mergers, acquisitions and partners to starve off the challenges poised by foreigners.

He regretted the low rate of adoption of Information Technology (IT) in the construction industry as compared to most other industries, stressing that utilizing Information Technology (IT) for competitive advantage is the key ingredient for a firm’s success , which only be achieved through training.

According to him, all the major activities of the quantity surveyors can be enhanced with the use of ICT, except that no human activities can be fully computerized without inputting some forms of command/data. The Founder, Lead Consultant and Strategist at Hexavian Group Ltd, Uwaoma Eizu, said there is need to build a quantity surveyor brand that can outlive the times.

Speaking on the theme: “ Striving for Sustainability in the face of Challenges of Change: Sharing Solutions”, Eizu said quantity surveyors can weather challenging storms, if they run their businesses through a central ideology and innovative mind.He stressed that ideology is the most powerful concept in building sustainability as customers will continue to be loyal to their needs that linked to businesses.

According to him, products may not be the most important thing because people needs may change, which may affect the sustainability of the firm.He therefore urged quantity surveyors to be innovative by creating newness out of the old through investment in research and development.Eizu also asked quantity surveyors’ firms to involve younger people in their operations as well as look at everything from the Information Technology perspective if they are to survive the changing times.

Earlier, the chairman of Lagos chapter of NIQS, Mr. Bamidele Mafimidiwo said the meeting was first of its kind meant to learn from elders of the profession, who were recently appointed to key positions in Lagos.The event was attended by senior members of the profession like chairperson of the Women Association of Quantity Surveyors, Col. Ayo Adediran, vice president of Quantity Surveyors Registration Board of Nigeria (QSRBN) Mr. Austin Nduka Onaro amongst others.

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