Estate surveyors seek cities’ reformation as Amayaevbo becomes president

The Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV) has urged the Federal Government and members to transform Nigeria cities, make them more livable and functional.

The body warned that failure to upgrade cities would hinder the country from meeting Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) targets, which was adopted by 193 countries including Nigeria, under the Project 2030.

Outgoing President, Sir Emmanuel Wike, stated this at the 52nd Annual Conference of the institution held in PortHarcourt, Rivers State, explained that Nigeria’s present cities lack functionality and aesthetics.

According to him, the major drawback and cause of malfunctioning cities in Nigeria is the failure to plan the city growth or failure to adhere to prescriptions and regulations, as well as pay close attention to land use management as prescribed in the city plan.

NIESV president said: “It is expected that key challenges of future city development and solutions, as well as necessary interventions to solve the hydra headed problems.”

He said, the theme ‘’Cities of the Future: Development, Infrastructure and Sustainability,” is apt as cities are planned, managed, financed and play multi-faced roles in all societies.

He noted that cities are drivers of economic growth and at the same time, the breeding grounds of poverty, environmental hazards and communicable diseases among other ills.

According to Wike, most African cities, including Nigeria are growing without corresponding economic transformation, regretting that they are largely unplanned; highly fragmented and disconnected; pantry investment in physical, social, economic infrastructure and services; and characterised by informal modes of social protection, infrastructure and service provision and dysfunctional municipal administration.

“The practicing environment is changing rapidly in response to changes in the world where innovations and new discoveries are rapidly unfolding. Provided we change our orientation, invent and reinvent, take constant look at our practicing standard and steps to comply with the needs of the day, the years ahead offers us a golden opportunity to remain on top of the curve.

“More than ever before, let us be vigilant and be ready to defend this profession and our core competencies against onslaughts from quacks, hawks and professional scavengers who are not relenting in their inglorious attempts to make incursions into the profession they are not trained to practice. They are resolute in this, but we must resist them, we must constantly be on guard and watch our flanks,” he said.

Wike said the institution has promoted the general interests of the profession, while maintaining and extending its usefulness for the public good. He advised members of the public, government departments, statutory bodies, local councils, associations and institutions to rely on the professional body on policy formulation, valuation, land administration, asset management and administration, housing and project development.

Also, former Rivers State governor, Mr. Celstine Omehia, pointed out that the Greater PortHarcourt city is still not developed and urged the body to bring in developers to contribute to the development of city.

He described the theme for the conference as apt, adding that the Trans Amadi Industrial Estate and others across the state need help to be developed, saying the future of cities in Nigeria should be properly drawn up.

Omehia said: “Development of the city should not be only in the hands of government or surveyors and valuers. Everyone has a role to play. Government of Rivers is willing to partner with anyone that will ensure the development of the city.”

The Guest speaker, Mike Ozekhome (SAN), urged the body to champion and create awareness on its core competency areas to make the profession different from others.

He said, “You must ensure that building and managing our cities is put in the forefront. You must ensure that there is training and retraining of your members and people who work with you.

“You can help to reconnect cities with rural areas so as to de-emphasised rural, urban differences, which gives all of us problems.”

MEANWHILE, the institution has elected new executive to pilot its affairs. They include: Johnbull Amayaevbo (president), Victor Alonge (first vice president) and Mohammad Bature (second vice president), Monday Ahiwe (national secretary), Mrs Omotola Ahamioje (national treasurer) and Toyin Aluko (national publicity secretary).

Others are: Prof. Olurotimi Kemiki (assistant national secretary) Abdulazeez Abiodun (assistant national treasurer and Richard Olodu (assistant publicity secretary).