The Lagos
branch chairman of NIESV, Mr. Offiong
Ukpong, made this known in his inaugural speech during the investiture of
the new executive council of the branch. He added that over the years, the
government had neglected the input of estate surveyors and valuers as land
economists in decisions and policies pertaining to property transactions, the
environment, national assets and investment.
He said: “If Nigeria shall be among the 10 most developed economies in
the world by 2030, then we must begin now to be more pragmatic in handling
issues of our country, towns, cities and villages. Land economics is greater
than money economics and prominence should be given to land economy in the
country.”
According to
a very popular and wealthy Estate Surveyor and erstwhile President of NIESV, Mr. Bode Adediji, the country’s real
estate sector is the worst in the world in terms of practice and regulation.
He said: “If there is any sector in our country today that has been so
reluctant to change, it is the real estate sector. If you compare the sector in
Nigeria to others in terms of the way it is being governed, practised and
regulated, and of course its contribution to the Gross Domestic Product of the
country, we are the worst in the world. This is sad because it should have been
the sector that from one regime to another should have been used as a platform
to create employment for the young people, either as architects, engineers,
town planners, electricians, bricklayers or others; but unfortunately, this
country has depended up till this moment on two main areas, which are not sustainable,
petroleum and trading.
“We
have a land area of 973,000 square kilometres with a population of 173 million
people; it is an aberration for such a nation to be asking others to feed her. While
would Thailand for instance, feed us when we are not lame, deaf and dumb? I
know there are vested interests but the earlier we are able to surmount
self-interest to the general interest of everyone, the earlier we would see the
light.”
The flamboyant
Mr. Adediji, who is also the Principal Partner of Bode Adediji Partnership, opined that President Buhari could not
afford to repeat the mistake of past regimes by appointing ministers that did
not fit into certain ministries that were critical to the development of the
country.
In his own
words: “For sectors like agriculture, please put
someone who is committed and who knows all about agriculture. For housing,
please pick professionals from the built environment comprising architecture,
estate management, town planning and surveyors, among others, and who have had
practical pedigree in production and not in rent-seeking capacity, and charge
them with the duties.”
The
erstwhile NIESV boss also called for a shift from the current rent economy,
adding that the country must engage in property development, facility
management, project management and venture capital.
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