Nigerian surveyors
have been challenged to undertake aggressive research into use of indgeneous technology for survey jobs while eliminating quacks in their ranks through proper registration and monitoring to reduce costs and wastages and help pull Nigeria’s economy out of recession.
The charge is part of a template for getting the nation’s economy out of the woods given by Prof. Ijeoma Kalu in a lecture titled “The Role of Surveyors In A Recessed Economy”, delivered at the end of year Dinner of the Rivers State branch of the Nigerian Institution of Surveyors (NIS) in Port Harcourt last week.
Prof. Kalu said surveyors have a duty to support local sourcing of materials, proper enlightenment of the citizenry on need to employ services of surveyors and the provision of appropriate maps for warfare and for combating crime.
The Guest Lecturer charged surveyors to also reduce fees charged in order to encourage more people to do proper survey and registration of their land while urging them to eliminate corruption and maintain discipline within their profession.
Kalu recommended adequate practical training of surveyors to complement academic qualification, support for land reform policies that ensure secure, safe, affordable and guaranteed access to land for the poor and called on surveyors to perform their duties professionally and within the ethics of the profession to reduce conflicts among clients.
The lecturer explained that a recession occurs when the economy experiences two consecutive quarters of negative growth.
According to him, the National Bureau of Economic Research defines a recession as “a significant decline in economic activity spread across the economy, lasting more than a few months, normally visible in a real Gross Domestic Product, real income, employment, industrial production and wholesale-retail sales”.
The present recession in Nigeria, Kalu said, is caused by high inflation, interest and multiple taxation rates as well as decline in international oil prices, slow growth of non-oil exports and insecurity.
He also said policy conflict and inconsistencies, government body language, like Buhari saying Nigeria is populated by criminals, ostentatious consumption of the rich and penchant for foreign goods are also contributory factors.
Kalu, a Professor of Economics (Development Studies) at the University of Port Harcourt said surveyors have an important role to play in Nigeria’s recessed economy and enjoined them to use their tools, knowledge and professional responsibility to impact positively not only on their clients but also on the Nigerian current environment.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Chairman of the Nigerian Institution of Surveyors (NIS), Rivers State, Surv. Joseph Wobo Amadi called on the federal, state, local governments and private sector players to engage the services of qualified surveyors for all their projects to achieve meaningful and sustainable development.
The chairman said Nigeria is now at a point “where all mathematical permutations, combinations, adjustment computations, numerical and error analysis have all collapsed as a pack of cards”. He said there is now a pervasive feeling of despair but assured that the surveying profession has an answer.
According to Amadi, surveying deals with precise measurements on the earth surface, water and in space as well as precise determination of the size, shape and gravity of fields of the earth.
The products of these measurements, he said, include geospatial data, plans, maps, charts, gravity fields and their applications in socio-economic and infrastructural development, which according to him, is widely acclaimed all over the world.
Amadi said the impact of surveying is huge on the economy of the world, asserting that the most developed nations of the world are the best mapped.
“Indeed, surveying and mapping are the bedrock of all meaningful and sustainable development”, the NIS chairman said.
Surveying and mapping are also essential for effective management and administration of land resources, just as they are to safety and security in their contributions to economic growth of nations, Amadi said.
According to him, every movement is tied to a location which could be traced by which security challenges could be resolved through surveying.
The Rivers NIS chairman said the end of year dinner party was organised for the relaxation of surveyors’ families, sister professionals, government officials, safety and security agents, friends and well wishers as “all work and no play make Jack a dull boy and all play and no work make Jack a lazy boy”.
Giving account of the stewardship of his executive, Amadi said they have returned peace and unity to the state branch of NIS while making transparency and accountability their watch word.
Other achievements, he enumerated, included publication of rich scientific journals (The Pathfinder) and acquisition of land for Surveyors Estate at Omagwa.
He said the Institution has embarked on the completion of the State NIS Secretariat as well as good welfare package for members and Surveyors Wives Association of Nigeria (SWAN). The Institution in the state, under his watch has also embarked on massive manpower development which included upgrading of different survey cadres and registration by the Surveyors Registration Council of Nigeria (SURCON), Amadi said.
He said the branch successfully fought and won national elections-, Publicity Secretary and Deputy President who is now President-In-Waiting.
In his speech, the Deputy National President of NIS, Surv (Alabo) C.D. Charles who represented the National President of the institution Surv Akinloye Olufemi Oyegbola, said the President was still on his nation-wide tour of the state branches of the institution.
Charles, who is President-In-Waiting, stressed the need for peace to move NIS forward, pointing out that he had contested national elections of the institution two or more times during which the state branch was in turmoil and he lost.
He said that as peace returned to the Rivers State branch, he contested the position of National Deputy President at the Oshogbo Annual General Meeting and won.
The Deputy President promised that whatever issues that remained unresolved by the current president when he leaves office would be resolved during his presidency.
At the well-attended party which took place at The Arena Event Centre in Port Harcourt, NIS, Rivers State branch honoured some heads of security outfits, among other dignitaries, for their contributions to peace and security in the state.
Amadi said the gesture was not only to appreciate their contributions but to promote greater synergy and collaboration between the organisations and Rivers NIS.
Among those honoured with plaques were the Commander, 2 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Commandant, Nigerian Navy Hydrographic School, and the Commissioner of Police, Rivers State who were all represented at the event.
Also honoured with plaques were Emeritus Professor of Surveying and Geodesy, Prof (Alabo) D.M.J Fubara who was represented by his wife Dr Fubara, Deputy National President of NIS Surv (Alabo) C.D. Charles, Past President, Surv L K Asika, Permanent Secretary/Surveyor-General, Rivers State, Surv Noel Elenwo, Surv Igntius O. Ike, Surv L.W. Chukwu who is a former Rivers State NIS Chairman and Guest Lecturer, Prof Ijeoma E. Kalu.
The event also featured cultural dances short speeches by Surveyor-General of Rivers State, Surv Noel Elenwo and Surv L.K. Asika among others and the cutting of the “cake of Thanksgiving to God”.
Prof. John Sika Orupabo of the Rivers State University of Science and Technology and media executives were among dignitaries that graced the event.

Donald Mike-Jaja