Quantity surveying professionals worry about corruption in project delivery

Quantity surveying professionals have said reduction in corrupt practices will help to improve project delivery in the country.

The President, Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveying, Alhaji Murtala Aliu, said this was an important step in nation building.

Aliu, who is also a former Minister of State for Power and Steel, spoke at the institute’s second research conference with the theme, ‘Confluence of research, theory and practice in quantity surveying discipline for sustainable built environment’.

He said, “Curbing corruption is important. It is important to the country and to the institute because if not taken care of, it can invalidate a project even from the beginning.

“The institute has put in place a monitoring and sanctioning process by which errant members are dealt with and so far since my assumption of office as the president of the institution, three members have been sanctioned.”

According to the president, quantity surveyors are involved in the costing of all projects, giving advice based on budget and design, and ensuring that there is compliance with the budget.

He said a corrupt-free practice would ensure adequate value for money.

He also stressed the need for research to throw up new challenges and generate new ideas for the built environment and the country at large.

The Secretary, Professional Development and Library of the NIQS, Dr. Ejike Anunike, said premium should be placed on research and its attendant benefits.

He said, “The institute places priority on research because it recognises its great potential in contributing to existing knowledge and solving man’s enormous challenges in an ever-changing world.

“The belief in research is not by accident but it is a concept that has been embedded in the institute’s constitution and all past executives have not relented in their efforts at carrying it out.”

Anunike said the research conference was one of the end-products of the research policy mounted to create a forum for professionals in the academia.

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This, he noted, would promote sharing of cross-border research experiences necessary to enhance career progression, foster closer interaction and collaboration and enhance national development.

The Deputy President of the NIQS, Mrs. Mercy Iyortyer, said that a cross fertilisation of ideas between the academia and the professionals in the built environment would provide opportunities for knowledge update that would improve professional practice.

The Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, where the conference was held, Prof. Adebiyi Daramola, said there was a need to generate and sustain knowledge.

“If knowledge is generated, it is required that it should be sustained as an important part of community service expected of professionals,” he said.

The VC also stated that ways of curbing corruption should also be included in the research programmes.

The Governor of Ondo State, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Adult and Technical Education, Mr. Gray Eshofone, assured the institute of his continued support in its quest.

The Chairman of the organising committee, Prof. Deji Rufus, said the theme of the conference, which lasted for three days, was carefully chosen in order to bring the academia and the professionals in the built environment together to generate ideas that would improve the nation.

According to him, the gap between the ideas generated and the actual practice is getting wider, noting that the development is detrimental to the nation.

“In other climes, this gap has already been closed,” he added.

• punchng