Tag: Wike

By Emma Ovuakporie

Emmanuel Okasuike Wike is the newly elected President of Nigerian Institute of Surveyors and Estate Valuers, NESV, in this chat with TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) Regional Editor, North, Emman Ovuakporie , he spoke extensively on Federal Government abandoned projects scattered all over Nigeria and ways and means to ensure that the projects are properly valued and put into proper use. He also spoke on his advocacy for the institute, excerpts.

Hear Him: “First of all we want to advise the government that they should hand over their properties to professional estate surveyors and valuers to manage, that is the first step.

“But for the ones that have been abandoned before now, I am aware that the House of Reps has a committee on that and we have made our presentation to them that they should allow estate surveyors and valuers to identify those properties and also advise the government on the usage of those properties either for sale, for rent or for the use of the government, that is number one.

“Number two is that as a professional body our advise to government is to first of all look at those properties to value them after their identification and also have an asset register where some of these properties will actually be enumerated; you talk about the location of the property, the value of the property, the present use of the property and if there is any future use of the property they should also be able to know what is the future use of that particular property so that at the end of the day the government can havr the highest and best use of those properties.

“You find out that there are some properties that are for commercial uses but they are being used for residential, there are those for residential that are being used for commercial, these are against planning regulations.

“So the government should be able to allow the estate surveyors and valuers to identify those properties and also advise on the best and highest use of those properties in order for them to get the best benefits out of it.

*Q: Let us look at these government agencies for example, the EFCC has for the past 20years, EFCC has seized so many properties that the government cannot identify them and that is where management has the challenges. Your body is there any way you can possibly put up something before the federal government and tell them that you can value those properties and you can give the current rates of those properties and how it would be of benefits to the federal government.*
A: Yes, that is what we are saying. The committee on federal government abandoned properties invited us for public hearing and we were there and we made our presentation.

Just like you’ve said if the federal government will also form another committee it is the same thing we are going to do. We will tell them to allow estate surveyors and valuers because those that are actually in charge of those properties at the ministry are estate surveyors and valuers, so we should be able to go back to the records, go back to the register to identify where those properties are located.

If we are able to trace those properties, it is now the responsibility of the estate surveyors and valuers to identify, value and advise the government on the best and highest use of those properties, that is number one.

Number two, is that where there are no title documents, we should be able to trace how did government relinquish their powers or their interest on such properties.

So it is only an estate surveyor and valuer that would be able to perform these duties because if you give it to any other professional he will stop along the way.

An estate surveyor and valuer will be able to identify the location, he will be able to know what is the present use and advise on what to be the best use and he will also be able to advise on the value of that property.

According to the law establishing estate surveyors and valuers registration board it is only the estate surveyor and valuer that has the legal and professional right to place value on any property or any item including plant and machinery, land and building. Any other professional that is coming to do this job, if it is to identify, the land surveyor can identify and that is where it ends but an estate surveyor will identify, value and advise the government on the best and highest use of that property.

*Q: Who is Chief Emmanuel Okasuike?*

A: Chief Sir Emmanuel Okasuike is the president of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers. We were just inaugurated on the 27th of June 2020, so for the next two years we shall pilot the affairs of the Nigerian institution of estate surveyors and valuers. I am from Rivers state and I am the principal partner of Emmaruike and Partners.

As we step into a new era in the annals of our great Institution, my vision is to transform the Institution to become the best professional-centric body in Nigeria, without neglecting the welfare of our members. The overall aim is to make the Estate Surveying and Valuation profession more prominent, more visible, more impactful and indispensable in Nigeria and beyond, where the welfare of our members will be paramount, and professionalism will be sufficiently rewarded.

Noble Colleagues, on this historic day, I am entering into a covenant with you to pursue and actualize the following programmes which in my humble opinion would not only advance the accomplishment of the aims and objectives for which the Institution was established as enshrined in Chapter 1 (i) of our Constitution, but would also advance professionalism and best practices.

AGGRESSIVE DRIVE FOR MEMBERSHIP GROWTH:

As one of the most influential professional body and stakeholder in Nigeria’s real estate sector, our ability to add value and to play active roles within the real estate sector, and in the nation, ability to influence legislation, government policies, and professional interests in a positive way rests on the quality and size of our membership.

With the challenges of the future staring us in the face, recruitment into Professional Membership and retention of members shall be one of the priorities of my administration. We shall deliberately encourage Probationer and Graduate members to get elected into the Professional Membership Grade with all necessary support and encouragement given to them on a continuous basis to initiate and conclude their elections within the shortest time possible, without compromising standards though, because a competent professional Estate Surveyor and Valuer in practice or academia or Public Sector is an invaluable asset to the Institution and to the Nation at large.

Real estate is central to national economic development, and to that extent it is imperative that we produce professional members with sound ethical and professional standards, in as much as our goal is to build an Institution that will be highly impactful and rated as excellent in Nigeria and beyond.

In addition to this, we shall intensify career counseling programme for students in secondary schools and tertiary institutions. We are going full blast on this career and educational development initiatives in order to ensure that future Estate Surveyors and Valuers are adequately sensitized and educated on the prospects of a career in Estate Surveying and Valuation and take maximum benefit of the programme.
Branches play important roles in the life of our Institution. Our Branches shall be actively involved in this exercise which is aimed at increasing the relevance and prominence of the Estate Surveying and Valuation profession in Nigeria. We will strengthen the Branches to deliver on this important mandate.

We shall also encourage genuine mentorship programmes by strategically positioning senior members to mentor the young surveyors and aspiring professionals. Senior members shall be given necessary support and encouragement to adopt tertiary institutions for mentorship purposes with the aim of closing the gap between practical and theoretical knowledge.

CAPACITY BUILDING:
Capacity building is key to effectively achieving the mission of our profession, a 21st century value driven, knowledge-based and client-oriented Institution where training and organizational culture serve to support efficient and pro-active professional competencies.

The only way to remain relevant as practitioners of this profession, especially in today’s technology driven world is to continually and consistently update our knowledge, skill and competencies.

A more serious attention shall be given to the Mandatory Continuous Professional Development (MCPD) programme, while ensuring effective participation of our members in the programme and attain the credit points required in a Council year. In view of the realities of the moment, we will leverage on the use of technology in delivering the programmes for the benefit of our teeming members.
Immediate steps shall be taken to strengthen the Business Divisions (Faculties) for the professional development of our members.

With the support and cooperation of all the stakeholders, we shall undertake a review of the operations of our various Divisions/Faculties to allow for cross breed, cross fertilization of ideas and sharing of practical experiences geared toward increasing the competencies of our members, thereby making our profession more impactful.

The Divisions/Faculties shall be enabled to embark on continuous membership growth and development. Specialized trainings, master classes, educative programmes which will be impactful to members of the various Divisions/Faculties shall be encouraged, while ensuring strict compliance to local and international standards of practice in the course of carrying out of our professional assignments.

To this end, we shall seek Council approval to register the Business Divisions/Faculties with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) with NIESV as the Trustee. Recommendations shall be made to ESVARBON to recognize them as specialized arms of the profession.

In addition, efforts shall be made to make the Divisions/Faculties independent in membership and research, to become foot soldiers in defending our various roles, maintaining strong bond between all segments of the profession especially Public, Academic and Private Practitioners as this relationship would help us in enjoying policies and research, which upon implementation shall be of tremendous benefit to private practitioners.

An Institution such as ours should henceforth undertake large amounts of research to push forward the boundaries of knowledge and frequently offer up policy challenges and solution which can be tabled before relevant policy makers. NIESV Learning Centre and the College of Estate Management remain veritable platforms to boost researches, training, knowledge, skills acquisition and competencies. Reinvigoration of these potential capacity building outlets shall be given utmost attention and consideration.

WELFARE IMPROVEMENT:
As a professional body that adds huge value to the society, the wellbeing and fortunes of our members shall be a major priority of this administration. Welfare packages for all categories of our members, including the elders and newly elected members shall be developed.

We are assuming the responsibility of frequently assessing the needs of our members, planning ahead and responding to existing trends to ensure the protection of existing privileges, while remaining open to new opportunities and responding to new threats.

Since our profession is service based, we would make deliberate efforts to build a strong brotherhood where every one of us, particularly the young and upcoming Estate Surveyors and Valuers would be accommodated. We would fashion out means of encouraging the upcoming professional members so that they would not lose interest in the Institution. It is time to arrest “the mighty takes it all” syndrome and re-orientate along the path of professional collaboration, as against professional competition.

In other words, genuine emphasis shall be placed on members’ welfare, with better structures and strategic processes initiated within the Institution and among stakeholders to encourage and facilitate the initiative. This has become necessary in order to ensure that every Estate Surveyor and Valuer is reasonably empowered economically.

In a nutshell, we are reassuring our esteemed members of our readiness to vigorously advocate for enabling environment for practices to thrive, to influence government policies to our advantage, thereby ensuring the survival of every one of us, particularly under the current harsh economic situation in the country.

ADVOCACY:
Advocacy is key, strategic and crucial to the continuous relevance of our profession. Advocacy remains a fundamental responsibility of our Institution. We shall add vigor to our engagements with critical stakeholders, particularly government at all levels, ministries, agencies and parastatals, financial institutions etc. We shall ensure improved relationship with these tiers of government and agencies in the overall interest of our profession.

A channel of communication at the three levels of government; Federal, State and Local, including the MDAs shall be opened to ensure the sustainability of our advocacy drive. The Legislature and MDAs would be penetrated to unbundle our laws with regards to Estate Surveying and Valuation Practice, with the aim of confronting undue incursion into the core areas of our practice.

For this purpose, a National Assembly/Federal Executive Council (FEC) Desk shall be opened at the Secretariat, with the desk officer liaising with the National Assembly and all the arms/tiers of Government.

Advocacy would be a mirage if we fail to build a strong media image. We shall fully and effectively utilize the media to educate the public about our various services.

We shall also build a strong economic and real estate analysis team to discuss and itemize the impacts of various government policies and programmes on real estate. This team shall be the fulcrum to examine government policies in terms of assets value in Nigeria.

MEDIATION AND RECONCILIATION:

Disagreements are normal in societies and organizations, crisis and consensus are ongoing process, but conscious and deliberate efforts must be made not to allow conflicts to destroy our fundamental cohesion.

We are not oblivious of acrimonies, grievances within the Institution, genuine or otherwise. Over the years, our politics has become poisoned, rancorous and divisive. The truth is that our challenges emanates largely from the manner in which we have managed our politics. As we enter into a new dawn in the annals of our Institution, windows shall be opened for mediation and reconciliation to allow aggrieved members express themselves without destroying the altar of discipline, with structures instituted to address future skirmishes.

My goal is to run an administration that recognizes strength in our diversity as a people, hoping that this well-meant stance will be reciprocated. We should not squander the moment. At the end of the day, whatever we do or choose not to do must be intended to benefit all our members.