NIESV confab to seek alternative revenue sources

As Nigeria seeks to diversify its economy away from huge dependence on oil for income generation, the 44th Annual General Conference (AGC) of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV) will seek to explore opportunities available in waterway resources as an income generation option.

In a statement made available to BusinessDay, Emeka Eleh, president, NIESV, explained that the choice of the conference theme, ‘Maritime, Coastal and Inland Waters Investment and Management in National Development’, was deliberate as the country needs to explore alternative and non-oil revenue generation capacities by focusing on the development of waterway resources.

Among speakers expected for the conference are Jim Ovia, founder and promoter of Visafone Communications, Bolarinde Joshua Patunuola-Ajayi, second vice president, NIESV, and Nwilo Peter, a professor and the surveyor-general of the federation.

Ovia, who also is the proprietor of University of Information and Communication Technology in Agbor, Delta State, will deliver the keynote address at the conference.

Victor Ayeye, honorary national publicity secretary of NIESV, disclosed that over 5,000 delegates are expected to attend the conference which will also witness elections into the National Council, adding that Jim Ovia has accepted the invitation to deliver the keynote address at the conference in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

“And this continues a tradition of having very knowledgeable Nigerians from diverse professional backgrounds as resource persons to our annual meetings. Last year in Benin, we had Oby Ezekwesili talking to members and their presentations have always been a rich reference material for governments, businesses and the academia,” Ayeye further said.

The conference will hold between March 25 and 28, 2014 at the Ibom Hall of Le Meridien Hotel in Uyo, with Godswill Akpabio, the Akwa Ibom State governor, as special guest of honour.