Unlocking opportunities in surveying through collective social capital deployment
A critical look at the surveying industry comprising land, estate and quantity surveyors shows a not-fully-realized potential and opportunities due to uncoordinated and disunited approaches to industry challenges and attempts at harnessing its prospects.
The need for processionals in the industry to unite, meet more often, build and deploy their collective social capital in promoting change and charting new ways forward for the profession under a single acceptable body has therefore, become imperative.
Industry experts believe that the surveyors currently existing in three arms as Quantity, Land and Estate Surveyors will be more prominent and contribute effectively to national growth if they merge, possibly, as an Association of Surveying Bodies of Nigeria (ASBON).
At the annual general meeting of the Royal institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) in Lagos recently, Agele Alufohai, President, Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS), noted a huge gap existing among the three arms of the profession and also between the profession and other professionals in the built environment.
In a paper he presented at the meeting, Alufohai said, “though efforts are being made by the three arms of the profession to unite under a single body so that what we all do as different types of surveyors must have a single and powerful representation in the minds of Nigerians, such efforts need to be hastened.”
“Not only the government but other r professions such as economists and accountants will become more inclined to seek our views on national issues if we operate as a unified body,” he added.
He urged Surveyors to work towards strengthening and projecting the different surveying disciplines to have a uniform perspective on national economic issues such as the evolving new national housing policy, cost and transparency issues in the design and administration of the Petroleum Subsidy Reinvestment Programme (SURE-P) and other issues directly affecting the profession.
To him, top of the range practices distinguish themselves not only by their technical know-how but also by the way they deliver what they know and how they generally present themselves. For instance, they recruit from the best schools; have a policy on ensuring that many of their recruits and staff have been exposed to graduate studies in leading American and British universities.
“Professionals who invest in embellishing the presentation of their technical know-how command greater and better fees, they also contribute to the development of the economy by improving knowledge, technical standards and efficiency, creating aspiration and greater competition amongst students and newly qualified professionals.”
Stakeholders at the meeting noted that the failing education system has constrained the growth and development of a new generation of Surveyors that would advance the profession in the near future.
According to them, there is a need for cohesion between experienced professionals and academia in the profession to help establish a viable contact with fresh graduates thereby notifying them of demands expected of them to meet.