Members of the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS) have been enjoined to engage in partisan politics as a means to drive necessary change for enhanced governance in the country.
Delivering a lecture, titled, Political Participation and Leadership, at the first round table discussion, organized by the Kwara state chapter of the NIQS in Ilorin on Wednesday, the former chairman of the institute, Chief Sunday Olosunde, said that involvement of quantity surveyors in political affairs and leadership roles would not only bolster the profession but also amplify its relevance and garner increased recognition from governmental bodies at all tiers.
The former chairman urged quantity surveyors to ensure their representation in both the legislative and executive branches of government, both at the state and national levels, to effectively advocate for the interests of the profession and contribute to meaningful policy formulation and implementation.
“Therefore, the participation of quantity surveyors in politics and leadership shall definitely promote our profession and also defend our relevance and give us more recognition by the government at all levels.
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“The interest of Quantity Surveyors shall be adequately taken care of if we are involved and represented at all times in the legislative and the executive arm of government at the state and national level”, he said.
Speaking to the title of the lecture, Political Participation and Leadership, Chief Olosunde, said that quality leadership comes from political participation.
“Summarily, the right to political participation means the right under which the ruling authority is committed to providing rights to citizens including the right to nominate and elect representatives to hold public office in accordance with the principle of equal opportunities to participate in private and public sector in the federal republic of Nigeria.
“Politics, political participation and leadership co-exist and point to one and the same thing as none of them can exist in isolation. Without politics participation in politics could not have arisen and there cannot be the emergence of leadership without political participation.
“Political participation are the activities, processes, and procedures that evolve en-route the enthronement of leadership to any government and non-governmental organisation”.
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