Built environment experts under the auspices of the Association of Private Practicing Surveyors of Nigeria (APPSN), Lagos State branch, have called on Nigerians not to patronise quacks in order to prevent loss of land and investments.
Rather, they advised that they should patronise only professionals to safequard their investments.
Speaking during the 2023 annual professional workshop and luncheon of the association in Lagos, chairman, APPSN, Mr Ibikunle Adaranijo and Founder/CEO, School of Consulting, Dr Shola Ajani, said quacks are problems to the profession, while their patrons run the risk of recording losses of their land and investments at the point of seeking the Certificate of Occupancy.
“Their patrons will record losses because the work done by quacks will be detected at the point of seeking Certificate of Occupancy/approval,” they said.
APPSN is a subgroup of the Nigerian Institution of Surveyors (NIS), Lagos State branch.
Tagged: ‘The Future of the Geospatial Profession; Consulting and Business Prospectives,’ Adaranijo said the annual event aimed at capacity building for the nation’s surveyors, taming quackery and also to equip members with current technology to move with global trends.
According to him, the decision to hold the professional development workshop was borne out of the need for private practicing surveyors in Nigeria to assemble to discuss the role of surveying in all ramifications of the country’s development.
Besides, he said it was to equip surveyors with up-to-date information in line with global trend.
Adaranijo said the association embarked on a massive sensitisation on risks and benefits of using only registered surveyors to protect the public,
According to him, there is an application (app) to guide the public now on the necessary information about his association and list and contacts of registered surveyors for the public patronage.
Lending his voice, Ajani called for more awareness, collaboration and use of technology against quacks in the profession.
He urged the association and parent surveyor bodies to create a platform to bring in and train quacks to close the gap in shortage of experts.
“The entire nation has just about 6,000 experts and the vacuum has created a huge demand which helps the quacks thrive.
“Surveyors are also guilty of varying their operations from lands, to quantities and other aspects of the practice, leaving the public confused. The market place doesn’t know the difference.
“Confusion is responsible for Nigerians’ patronage of quacks because they are confused about the roles of surveyors,” he said.
He shared business opportunities and insights on how competition, products and clients are important and how to take proactive steps to remain relevant.
The CEO called for increased registration to boost the current 6,000 membership; partnership with the value chain; pre-mapping of areas; enhanced legislation; awareness creation and competency development as ways surveyors could excel.
He shared tips on how to surmount advertising restrictions on the profession by delving into content marketing, writing articles for solutions in the sector.
The special guest of honour, Mr Kunle Ogunbadewa, raised the alarm over the declining use of surveyors.
He pointed out that surveyors were important in achieving precision and efficiency as well as development of Nigeria.
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