BRIGHTER days may lie around the corner for estate surveyors and valuers in the nation’s built environment sector, as a 10-member committee has begun moves to review its constitution, which is expected to transform and reposition the institution to meet up with global best practices.
The proposed changes in the constitution of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV) is an offshoot of a retreat by major stakeholders held at Ada, Osun State, approved by the National Executive Council of the body that recommended a major shift from the on-going practice. Frontline consultants such as KMPG Professional Services and ROSABEL facilitated the Ada summit.
NIESV President, Mr. Bode Adediji who presided over the inaugural meeting of the committee last week, which membership includes some of the national officers said the body would be discussing and determining the answers pertinent and most critical questions affecting professional practice particularly issues relating to specialisation of real estate practitioners.
Members of the committee include some past presidents such as Chief Charles Adebiyi and Nweke Umezurike. Others members are Emmanuel Omuojine, Mrs. Claire Chizea, Samuel Ukpong, Akin Olawore, Chudi Ubosi and Baren Epega, National Publicity Secretary, Emmanuel Mark and Registrar of the Estate Surveyors registration Board of Nigeria (ESVARBON), Thomas Audu.
Under the proposed 6th constitutional review, key areas in focus are as follows: ONE: Changing public perception TWO: Overhauling operational framework such as tenure of elected officers THREE: Generating workable interface with other professional bodies, government and agencies on polices and programmes as well as fashioning guidelines relating to relationship with local and international bodies like Commonwealth Association of Surveying and Land Economy (CASLE), International Real Estate Federation (FIABCI) and housing corporations.
He said that the institution wants to reposition itself towards occupying its rightful place in policy making and becoming a stakeholder in all reforms in the federal level as well as ensuring that the body is recognised in land matters and policies. “NIESV cannot operate in isolation of what happens abroad and within the country,” Adediji added.
The NIESV helmsman cited the example of the Code of Conduct Bureau, where elected officers and governors are supposed to declare their assets. “There is nothing in the enactment that makes it mandatory for the properties to be independently valued by an estate surveyor and valuer. We want to partner with the present government on all matters effecting housing and property sector. A law makes it mandatory for all the public buildings to be insured without spelling out cost of the building and who does it,” he said.
Adediji disclosed that the institution recently submitted an agenda to the government and their dream is to see key ministries such as Housing, Works and Environment and Urban Development manned by professional people within the built environment. “ We want the President to use the sector to revamp the economy. Majority of the unemployed are made of carpenters, bricklayers and painters. Once the real sector is in a comatose, no sector can deliver any sustainable economy.”
On cement prices, he said: “We are supporting the government as anything it can do to bring down the prices of cement is welcomed. We cannot attain the 15 million housing deficit, when the price is skyrocketing. However, the government must take the building manufacturing sector in the front burner of the economic policy.”
Similarly on the proposed Lagos Rent Edict, Adediji explained that until the supply side of housing is tackled, there is nothing anyone can do on the rent prices. He pledged to support the state government to create the enabling environment of solving the nascent housing problem in the country.
Adediji had recently said: “We are aware that our public image is not what it used to be. We want to change the public perception of estate surveyors and valuers, which as of today is synonymous with estate agents.
According to him, the practice has been so dominated by sole proprietorship, one man, one office, and one secretary. We want them to transit to medium size, big size or mega companies. We are saying that the future of this profession lies in bigger size operations, rather than one-man businesses.
“We plan to educate our members that it is in the long run not profitable to operate a small firm under