By Ayodele Abere.
The Deputy President of Nigerian Institution of Surveyors, Dr. Matthew Olomola Ibitoye, said most of the failed projects being experienced in Nigeria today are as a result of not making use of product of surveyors.
Surveyor Ibitoye who was a guest speaker at the investiture and swearing-in ceremony of the new executives of the Nigerian Institution of Surveyors and Association of Private Practicing Surveyors of Nigeria (APPSN) in the State, delivered a lecture on the topic “THE ROLE OF SURVEYORS IN ACHIEVING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS: ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY, E-GOVERNANACE, DISASTER MANAGEMENT, PREVENTION AND CONTROL”, while speaking on the purpose of the lecture during his interaction with journalists in Ado-Ekiti, the State capital, explained that the lecture was to educate the Surveyors on the need to rise up and use their professional expertise to solve some environmental problems.
According to the Deputy President, “Flooding is not a new thing, but government must provide warning to those that want to develop. Now, we are entering dry season and you just see that the place is dried. But there is a profession that will tell you that no matter what, it would flood when it would flood. There’s no way you will tell the Almighty God not to bring rain and when it rains, what’s your effort to see that the rain didn’t have effect on you? When you prepare adequately, you will know where to settle particularly during the dry season and when rain comes, there is no way it will affect you”
Ibitoye therefore advised people at the community not to build on a flooding areas. “The flood will tell you that it’s my land, I will drive you away either by force or by fire”.
Speaking on his level of satisfaction of survey profession in the country today, Dr. Olomola Ibitoye said NIS/APPSN are moving but not at the expected level yet. Saying in this part of the world, “we are focusing on cadastral adding that money in cadastral is peanut. But if you go to the aspects of the environment which the world bank is financing, these are where they spend millions of naira because they pay in dollars not in the dwindling naira we are seeing today. We need to encourage ourselves to make things work”. Said the Deputy President.
The new Chairman of Nigerian Institution of Surveyors, Ekiti State branch, Surveyor Samuel Sunday Afolayan, in his acceptance speech, said his predecessors have tried their best by raising the bar of the Institution in the State and promised that the Institution under his leadership would ensure that it maintains its rightful position amongst its sister processions in the State.
Speaking on the current position of the profession in Ekiti State, the revered man of God stated that they are moving gradually. He appreciated his predecessor, Ajala, for the progress the Institution was able to make in the State in the last four years.
According to Afolayan, “we have been recognized. When they are calling professionals in the State now, they don’t look down on us again. We have been given our rightful position right from the tenure of my immediate past predecessor and I will make sure my own administration consolidates on it”.
Noting that surveying entails saying it exactly the way it is, he enjoined the Surveyors in the State to practice the profession ethically by ensuring that they always say the truth whenever they are carrying out their duties.
Also, in her address, the new Chairperson of the Association of Private Practicing Surveyors of Nigeria (APPSN) in the State, Surveyor Olufunke Mary Andero, expressed her appreciation to the association for the implicit confidence, trust and belief they have in her leadership which she said has manifested again in her reelection as the Chairperson for the second term.
Noting that the Association is not without its challenges, which according to Andero, is the unethical practice that some of the members indulge in. She urged the members to guide and guard the profession jealously with one accord to rebuke openly those that have made unethical practice the norm.” We should stop forth with the undercutting of the new upwardly review professional scale of fees we all agreed to in dealing with our clients” Andero advised.
The outgone Chairman of the Institution, Surveyor Timothy Oladayo Ajala, looking back in retrospect, said he’s highly happy with the impact he was able to make in the Institution during his tenure as he stated that the testimonies are there. Saying “in the last four years when I took the leadership of the branch, I promised them a lot and to the glory of God, I was able to fulfill all my promise”.
Highlighting his major achievement which he described as the talk of the town within surveying profession throughout Nigeria, he explained that in the history, Ekiti State had never hosted any National programme of the Institution.
“On 30th November, 2018, I promised that I would bring our annual general meeting and conference to Ekiti State, some said it’s not possible because they see Ekiti State as a small State that doesn’t have the financial capacity and facilities to host such a National programme and to God be the glory, I was able to do it between 22nd and 29th of July this year and the AGM was adjudged the most well attended AGM in the history of Nigerian Institution of Surveyors. The organisation including the venue was one of the best if not the best.
“Due to the insecurity in the country, some members agitated that they won’t come but during our Council meeting in Abuja, I promised them that we would have an hitch free annual general meeting and that during their coming to Ekiti State and while going back, there would be no kidnapping or armed robbery issue on the road. So I can say that, that’s one of my major achievements”. He advised the new excos to be very committed and united.
The Special Guest of Honour at the occasion, former Deputy Governor of Ekiti State, His Excellency, Surveyor Abiodun Aluko, in his own remark, described the Nigerian Institution of Surveyors as the number one Institute in Nigeria saying surveying is a profession which is the first when it comes to construction, land issues, and environmental management. He said it’s the Surveyors that determine the location and environmental content of any project.
The newly inaugurated executive members of the Nigerian Institution of Surveyors, Ekiti State branch are; Surveyor Sunday Afolayan – Chairman. Surveyor S. P. Oyinkolade – Vice Chairman. Surveyor J.M. Babatope – Secretary.
Surveyor O.A. Ibukunoluwa – Asst. Secretary. Surveyor J.E. Idowu – Treasurer. Surveyor O.A. Shitu – Council Representative. Surveyor S.O. Omodara – Financial Secretary. Surveyor Mrs. Ashogbon Emiola. Surveyor T.O. Ajala – Immediate Past Chairman.While the executives of the Association of Private Practicing Surveyors of Nigeria (APPSN) include; Surveyor Olufunke Mary Andero – Chairman. Surveyor D.S. Animaahun – Vice Chairman. Surveyor O.M. Akintude – Secretary. Surveyor L.O. Akosile – Asst. Secretary. Surveyor O.O. Bejide – Treasurer and Surveyor A.A. Olatunde – Internal Auditor.
The event which was graced by eminent personalities from all walks of life and members of the Institution from within and outside the State was presentation of awards to the deserving members.