DISTURBED by the ever-increasing high cost of construction in Nigeria, compared with what obtains in other countries, including Africa, members of the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS) have been reminded that they have a primary responsibility to bring down high cost of projects, thereby bringing down the cost of living in the country.
Political office not for punishing people ― Jonathan
This charge was given recently by a former Commissioner for Works, during the military regime of General Yakubu Gowon, Chief Olufemi Okunnu, at the induction of chairman of the Lagos State branch of NIQS, Mr. Ayuba Akere.
Okunnu, who was the chairman of the occasion advised that more than any other professional body in the built sector, NIQS, being an expert in the construction industry, is well placed to help the governments, both at the federal and state levels to bring down the cost of projects.
“We are soliciting the NIQS to join other professional men and women with good intentions to stand up and challenge the major political parties in the country to commit themselves to the issues of the moment”, said the president of Ansar-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria, adding that it is unfortunate that the nation lacks people who will honestly and sincerely join in singing the national anthem; Nigeria, he said, was bereft of genuine patriots with sound ideologies.
“We are having politicians who have no principles or any ideologies in charge of affairs today. Most of them are mercenaries; work for one party today and move to another party tomorrow; the country is witnessing a game of musical chairs, no principle, no ideology. I am not talking of any particular party, all the parties are guilty of the offence.
Continued, “Restructuring is in the air. We all profess to implement restructuring; the foundation of Nigeria today is very weak and unstable. If its not communal disturbance, it’s the herdsmen or Boko Haram. No part of the country is safe. Until we go back to the era of fair sharing of the revenue of this country, there would be no stability in Nigeria.”
In his speech, the NIQS president, Obafemi Onashile, while exolling the virtue of the association’s chairman, noted that NIQS, as a subset of the construction industry, which is the second most important industry next to agriculture; has been championing the call for reforms in the construction industry, reforms that will impact the economy positively and exponentially.
According to the president, it can no longer be business as usual but active strategies to better the nation.
“The politicians in Abuja are playing politics with the lives of Nigerian populace. There seems to be so much confusion; or is it lack of comprehension of what to do to impact positively on the economy and the welfare of Nigerians. Sometimes, its insensitivity and absolute disdain that we get from our politicians, a situation the chairman rightly described as not being patriotic. There is a very urgent need to strategise the control of our country before it goes into free fall.
“The NIQS has initiated this form of reform by calling for collaboration of all the major seven institutions in the construction industry, and for them to come together rather continuously acting adversarial manner. I am happy to note that our other sister institutions have accepted to work closely together with us. The NIQS has also initiated two significant bills that are being promoted as construction industry bills and as precursors to reforming the industry and making the industry very vibrant.”
The bills, he said, include the building and engineering construction health and safety bill that will put an immediate end to issues of building collapse; while the second is the building and construction industry payment assurance bill, which if passed, will ensure that contractors and consultants are paid for all works done on time
After taking his oath of allegiance to the institution, Ayuba Akere, chairman-elect, promised to improve the knowledge base of the members of the chapter by providing qualitative refresher courses for those preparing for the institute’s professional examination; among others.
The outgone chairman, Bamidele Mafimidiwo, indicated that during his tenure the chapter was able to increase the attendance of members for programmes of the chapter; organized trainings on digital technology; ensured an increase in the performance of candidates for the NIQS professional examination; revived the chapter’s cooperative society, which was moribund; obtained the chapter’s bye law; embarked on continuous advocacy visits to QS contracting organizations in Lagos including career counseling visits to some secondary schools in Lagos, among other achievements.