Valuers urge professionals’ engagement in budget execution

To ensure quick recovery from the nations’ economic recession, members of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV) have advised governments to engage the services of professionals in the built industry in the execution of projects listed in the 2017 budget.

They lamented that government has failed to access free service and advice from the institution, while efforts to seek government partnership have always been abortive, as officials have rebuffed all suggestions.

NIESV President, Dr. Bolarinde Patunola-Ajayi who spoke at the end of the year party organised by Lagos Chapter of the institution, held at the Custom compound, Ikeja, condemned the neglect by government in critical sectors like housing and general infrastructure in the out-going year.

Patunola-Ayayi said the impact of such gesture is that there will be a lasting programme as the issue of collapse building will be a thing of the past, as the professional bodies can deal with any members found to have been involved in shoddy job, ensure that standard jobs are executed, promote better jobs and lasting projects.

“When you look at the level of infrastructures, there is no adequate provision for roads. When construction activities take off, more professionals in the built industry will be hired, and artisans, tradesmen, even the vendors and the pepper sellers will be involved. If construction can go on in the housing, works, power departments throughout one year, the whole country and the labour force will be active and bringing agricultural products from hinterlands will be faster and easier and energise the economy.”

For the Lagos State Chairman of the institution, Offiong Samuel Ukpong, the chapter plans to forward an executive bill to the Lagos State Government for the establishment of the Valuer General Office who will be in the custodian of information about the yields or returns for intending investors in the real estate sector.

“The Land Use Act 1978 as amended states that there should be an appropriate officer who determines the rate to be used for the purposes of computation and that appropriate officer is the estate surveyor and valuers”.