Surveyors demand creation of Mapping Commission

In order to ensure proper mapping and collation of spatial data that will enhance productivity and service delivery, the Nigerian Institution of Surveyors (NIS) has urged the federal Government to establish Survey, Planning and Mapping Commission.

The Institution’s President, Mr. Bern Omo Akhigbe made the call last week at the 32nd memorial lecture held in honour of the pioneer president of the association, late Mr. Cyprian Theodosius Olumide held at the Leisure Spring Hotel, Osogbo, Osun state, said that the existence of such body would help in effective and efficient tackling of environmental challenges across the country.

Akhigbe, who reeled out various environmental challenges that have become nightmare in various parts of the country, said the association is worried by the ugly development and sought a better collaboration and partnership between it and various governments in the country in order to stem the tide.

He said Surveyors have the capacity and professional expertise to bring to play in national development, but expressed concern that their expertise has not been fully utilized by the authorities in solving environmental degradation.

Akhigbe who stressed that surveyors expertise has been underutilized, noted that the recent controversy over creation of additional constituencies by the Independent National Electoral Commission {INEC} would not have risen if proper surveying of the Nigeria political space had been given adequate attention.

His words: “If we want credible election in the country all we need to do is to make use of the expertise and professional service of Surveyors which NIS is ready to provide. Surveying is critical to effective delineation of constituencies and this will remove undue controversy in the polity.”

The surveyor who canvassed that “a round peg should be put in a round hole”, said Ministers and Commissioners appointed to man ministries of works at various levels of government should be professional surveyors, because they have the requisite experience to bring to bear on the job.

While paying glowing tributes to the pioneer leader of the association, he underscored the importance of surveying stressing that as one of the oldest professions in the society, it played significant role in the existence of Nigeria.

The Guest Speaker, Minister of State for Works, Prince Adedayo Adeyeye who was represented by a Special Adviser Technical in the Ministry, Mr. Eyitayo Aluko, noted that Surveyors have a professional role to play in combating the scourge of environmental degradation across the society.

Adeyeye pointed out that some of the environmental challenges facing parts of the south-east and south-south of the country are the ravaging menace of gully and flood erosion, noting that in these areas, whole communities have been displaced with houses subsumed and farmland destroyed.

The Minister of State whose lecture was entitled, “Continuing the Olumide Legacy for a Prosperous Nation”, stressed the importance of surveying in national development saying that the evolution of Nigeria came to be through crucial role played by surveyors.

He charged surveyors to place high premium on ethics of the profession in while discharging their responsibilities in order not to jeopardise the nation’s environment.

He said: ’”To remain at the top, the ethics of your profession must not be compromised. If you have integrity you will occupy the moral high ground to offer both professional services and advice to government, organisations, and individuals”.

He urged the NIS to use its professional skills and experience in finding a lasting solution to the various environmental problems that impact negatively on the Nigerian economy.

He also noted that the professional body has great role to play in “the transformational agenda” by the current national government.

To him, surveying profession can actively participate in the actualisation of the agenda as proper mapping and collation of spatial data can enhance productivity and service delivery in all areas of concern.

Credit: Guardian Newspaper