From Isaac Anumihe, Abuja
Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS), yesterday, decried Federal Government’s withdrawal from funding professional bodies, saying that it’s indirectly encouraging quackery.
Speaking to newsmen on the forthcoming biennial conference slated for November 24, 2023, in Abuja, the president of the institute, Quantity Surveyor Olayemi Shonubi,
claimed that the professional bodies are inadequately funded and so will not be able to carry out some of the functions required of them.
“Government said it is not going to fund the professionals. I do not know how those bodies are going to survive. There is inadequate support for the body that it (government) created. So it is like government is even encouraging quackery indirectly” he said.
He lamented the neglect of quantity surveyors by the built environment, so absolving the quantity surveyors of all blames arising from building collapse.
“Part of the advocacy we been carrying on as a professional body even since I joined NIQS as a young graduate back then in the 80s is the fact that an average Nigerian and even government does not engage quantity surveyors. So, if I’m not engaged to offer my services and advocacy and something happens, how can you blame me? But the only thing I have is because I’m a member of a professional team in the built environment” he said, regretting that Nigerian professionals are embarrassed daily for what is happening in the country.
“We all feel sad because if you go to conferences abroad and they ask you what is happening in your country you are embarrassed. Does it mean that you do not have qualified professionals in your country? And that is the shame I always feel in my heart because as long as I’m a professional in the building industry, anything that happens will directly affect me even though I may not be directly involved.
“They are ways that we would prevent building collapses. For instance, if somebody wants to build a house there is something we call resource schedule. That schedule will be your resource materials. If your project has been designed by a qualified professional, obviously it will be easy for the quantity surveyor to be able to give you an idea of the materials that you will use. If you engage a qualified professional, both in supervision as well as in construction there will be no issues but people do not want to pay professionals.
“Part of the challenge we have as professional bodies in Nigeria is enforcement and implementation. As a matter of fact there should not be building collapse in Nigeria” he submitted.
To this effect, he called for collaboration in the building industry as that could ameliorate the incidence of collapse.
“We believe that by fostering collaborative dialogue among industry experts, policymakers, researchers, and thought leaders, we can address the multifaceted challenges impeding our nation’s pursuit of comprehensive and sustainable infrastructural growth.
“Our collective efforts, showcased through this conference, will pave the way for a more resilient and economically sustainable future” he noted.
memo to one of the affected councils dated June 26, 2023, the Budget Office of the Federation said the move was in line with the decision of the Presidential Committee On Salaries (PCS).
Recall that the Federal Government recently, withdrew financial support for professional bodies.
In a memo signed by the Director General of the Budget Office of the Federation, Ben Akabueze announced that funding would be stopped for at least 30 of the professional bodies and councils by December 2024 whilst budgetary allocations would be stopped for other bodies by December 2026.
“I wish to inform you that, the Presidential Committee on Salaries, (PCS) at its 13th meeting approved the discontinuation of budgetary allocation to Professional Bodies/Councils effective December 31, 2026,” the memo partly read.