Estate surveyors seek decongestion of cities, to tackle quacks, fraudsters

President Nigeria Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV), Mr Johnbull Amayaevbo, has expressed the need for functioning urban infrastructure with thousands of people across the country moving to urban areas daily

Amayaevbo, who stated this during the investiture ceremony of Mr Oloruntoba Idris as the 15th Chairman of the Ondo State Branch of the institution and the inauguration of the 2022/2024 executive committee, sought decongestion of cities through rural transformation.

The NIESV president appealed to both federal and state governments to extend infrastructural development to rural communities across the country in order to decongest the cities.

He advised that the most appropriate way to prevent cities from being overpopulated by those in search of greener pasture was to ensure that institutions, and industries among others thrived in communities outside the cities.

Amayaevbo disclosed that the institution had been making moves to partner with the government on how the decongestion process can be achieved seamlessly, stressing the need for functioning urban infrastructure

He said: “Take, for instance, a country like South Africa, if you have been to Sun City, it was a bush, but some people came up and did a proposal. Sun City is one of the best cities in South Africa today.

“So we will partner and collaborate with the state governments to extend infrastructural facilities out of the cities to decongest the cities.

“If we have good infrastructure outside the cities, if we have higher institutions outside the cities, if we have good industries outside the cities and if there is power, many people will not come into the city and start dragging for nothing.

“So we will advise the government and we have been doing that but we will not be tired of doing it to make sure that they take our proposal and I know that this state governor (Akeredolu) listens a lot and most other governors too.

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“So we will collaborate with government to ensure that infrastructural provision is key and we will give them more technical advise and report on how to achieve the decongestion of our cities in collaboration with other professional bodies.”

He also disclosed that the institution had put in place some measures to tackle quackery within its fold, and said “we are doing a lot of advocacy right now to let the public know who the quacks are and who the estate agents are.

“Currently, we are part of those sponsoring a bill at the National Assembly regarding estate agency law in Nigeria. On the last visit we had with the Chairman of EFCC, he was very much interested.

“We are doing everything as a professional body to bring across the country agents, train them and asked them to belong to that association so that if anything is done wrongly by them, they can be traced. As it is, you hardly can trace them.

“We will work closely with the state government to stop fraud and quackery in estate development and management, mortgage negotiations, sale of land and property, among others.”

While pledging that the general interests of the profession will be the focus of his executives, the new state Chairman advised that the public and government should rely on the professional body on policy formulation, valuation as well as land administration.

“The Executive Committee members have met and wish to let you know that we have hit the ground running knowing that two years sis such a short time.

“We have made up our minds to leave the branch much better than we met it. We wish to let you know that we have a number of strategies in place which we shall strive to execute.”

Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, who was represented by the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Mr Raimi Aminu, said his administration will continue to provide enable environment for the institution.

He said “as part of our capacity building for the land service department, our administration has recruited about 15 graduates of Estate Management into the public service to beef up the manpower needs of the Land Service Department.

“As a key player in the land administration management your professional competence will always be required and also you should practice according to the ethics of the profession.”