The Nigerian Institution of Surveyors (NIS), has called on the Minister of Works, Housing and Power, Babatunde Fashola to re-constitute the Surveyor Council of Nigeria (SURCON) board which was dissolved in 2014.
SURCON which is the regulatory body overseeing surveying profession in Nigeria, was dissolved in October last year.
The re-elected Chairman of NIS in Oyo State, Surveyor Ola Shiyanbola during the 2015 Annual Luncheon and Swearing-in of newly elected executive members of the association said the re-constitution would go a long way in solving the problems of surveying and the profession as a whole.
“I will want to welcome the minister of Works, Housing and Power, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, to his new assignment. The works of Surveyors cannot be overemphasized in the areas he has been assigned to oversee- Works, Housing and Power.
“I am therefore appealing to him to please re-constitute the regulatory body overseeing Surveying Profession- Surveyor Council of Nigeria (SURCON). The council was dissolved in October, 2014 which was over a year.
“In doing this, many problems facing the institution will be solved, and the professional as a whole will be able to move forward. The minister should also look into the area of separating the Survey contents or components from Engineering jobs.
“This is to ensure that component professionals will be handling such aspects and the results will be rewarding to the country,” he said.
Shiyanbola further implored Governor Abiola Ajimobi to appoint a special adviser on Surveying and Mapping who would oversee the implementation of laws on Surveying and Physical Planning at the rural and urban levels.
The office will also be in a better position to protect many Government lands.
“It will interest the state government that most of the government lands acquisition are being encroached upon by land speculators who had been thereby selling to unsuspecting members of the public.
“To avoid pulling down of houses and other structures when the government wants to use such acquisitions, such lands must be fully protected,” Shiyanbola said.
While commending Ajimobi for making use of the Surveyors in the provision of the Route Survey of the Roads so far dualized, appealed that “this aspect or contents should be separated from the contracts of the road constructions. The Route Survey jobs should be awarded separately to surveyors”.
Speaking on the topic “The Relevance of Land Surveying to Urban Renewal in Nigeria”, President of Town Planners Registration Council of Nigeria (TOPREC) and the guest lecturer, Professor Layi Egunjobi, suggested a platform for synergy building among the professionals, increased or improved political will of government at all levels and integration of the members of the public into development process in Nigeria.
He declared that these would help to remove the factors militating against the profession in the country.
According to him, urban development required a multi-discplinary approach due to different aspects of urban problems.
“The concept of urban renewal generally is a long drawn one requiring inputs from urban planners and other related development professionals like surveyors”.
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