Ex-surveyor-general worried about neglect of surveying profession

Although, surveying is the foundation of all professions in the built environment, lack of government attention and ignorance have relegated it to the background leading to the underdevelopment of the country.

Immediate Past Surveyor-General of the Federation, Prof Peter Nwilo disclosed this at the Lagos State Young Surveyors Network Twenty Eighteen Annual Conference and Workshop themed “Building The Future of Young Professionals In Surveying and Geospatial Industry”.

Descrying government’s negative attitude to surveying and mapping, he said, it is absolutely wrong for government to think they can develop the country without surveying and mapping .

According to him, Survey is the root of any development in any country, hence adequate attention must be given to Surveying and mapping to make it happen.

Nwilo regretted that the government had not invested much in Surveying profession adding that there was a lot to be done.

He therefore urged government to pay adequate attention to the profession saying it smacks of ignorance to relegate surveying to the background when it makes development much faster.

Prof Nwilo, who is the Head of Department, Surveying and Geoinformatics, University of Lagos, commended Lagos State Government for setting the pace in Survey and mapping in Nigeria.

According to him, the leap that Lagos state has made in the past few years was because they mapped so that when an investor comes, he does not start from zero base because the basic thing has been done.

Nwilo, who was the Special Guest of Honour at the event, also extolled Lagos for brazing the trail in mapping while others states were just developing.

He however called for update of Lagos maps, saying they have become obsolete.

“ Although the Survey mapping in the state was done during the tenure of the former Governor, Babatunde Fashola, it needed to be updated because it had become obsolete”, he said.

He stated that one of the major challenges affecting Surveying Profession was ignorance and urged professionals to be involved in politics in order to make an impact that would lead to desired development.

Nwilo said he was impressed with what the Lagos State Young Surveyors Network were doing, urging them to work and read hard, be innovative as well as learn new techniques.

Also Speaking on theme and attribute of leaders, the Guest Speaker, Olumide Adewebi, stated that Surveyors in the state were doing very well saying the topic was apt because leadership is at the helm of things that we lack in the country,

The State’s Coordinator, Young Surveyors Network, Damilola Kolawole, also enjoined Professionals to explore other fields of Survey such as Engineering, Hydrography, As-Built Survey and Geographical Information System among others.