Members of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers, NIESV, government functionaries and policy makers as well as operators and regulators of the real estate practice and other stakeholders have converged in Port Harcourt, Rivers state for the 52nd National Annual Conference of the institution, which commenced on Monday and would end by Saturday.
The Conference is an annual event and a gathering where stakeholders across the globe in the real estate industry and members of the academia brainstorm on strategic issues, share notes and ideas on the roles, relevance and power of the real estate in driving the national economy on a sustainable path.
Speaking at a press briefing at the Obi Wali Conference centre in Port Harcourt on Tuesday, President of NIESV and Chairman of the 52nd Annual Conference, ESV Emmanuel Wike said that at the end of the conference with the theme, “Cities of the future: Development, Infrastructure and Sustainability”, the Institution would make available to the government and policy makers, resolutions that would enable them come up with policy thrusts that would enhance national development. “We would also avail our members and all the relevant stakeholders the Communiqué for the purpose of using the conclusions for re-appraisal and aligning of real estate practices, strategies and operations with the best global practices”, said the president.
“Depending on how they are planned, managed and financed, cities play multi-faced roles in all societies. Cities are drivers of economic growth and at the same time, the breeding grounds of poverty, environmental hazards and communicable diseases among other ills. Most African cities, Nigeria inclusive are growing without corresponding economic transformation – they are largely unplanned; highly fragmented and disconnected; pantry investment in physical, social, economic infrastructure and services; and characterized by informal modes of social protection, infrastructure and service provision and dysfunctional municipal administration, to mention a few. A major drawback and cause of our malfunctioning cities is the failure to plan the city growth or failure to adhere to prescriptions and regulations and pay close attention to land use management as prescribed in the city plan.
‘We must be serious at solving this most pressing national problem. The transformation of our cities to make them more livable and functional should be a priority. Failure to transform our cities would amount to failure to meet the targets set out in the Sustainability Development Goals which was adopted by 193 countries including Nigeria. Otherwise referred to as the Project 2030, the Sustainability Development Goals is a global endeavour aimed at putting an end to poverty, securing the planet, while ensuring that everyone enjoys peace and prosperity by 2030. The project is also aimed at ensuring three critical issues of functionality, economy and aesthetics which are largely lacking in Nigeria’s present cities”, he added.
According to him, key challenges of future city development and solutions, as well as necessary interventions to solve the hydra headed problems would be examined by this Conference and suggestions would be passed to the appropriate quarters for necessary consideration and implementation.
To achieve these objectives, carefully assembled as resource persons are array of subject matter experts and highly renowned industry futurists with sharp eyes to observe relevant trends, innovations and developments across the world which can be applied in our country.
Speaking further, he said that the 52nd Annual Conference is very unique because the theme basically addresses or provides the direction to the outlook of our cities in the future and how they could be sustained basically through infrastructure for economic development, As they are presently, our cities does not guarantee healthy living, long life and welfare.
He believes that how our future cities would look and function depend on the decisions of the policy makers, the private sector and professionals in the built-environment. However, we should endeavour to build cities with the combination of the advantages of urban and rural settings, but without their disadvantages. We should endeavour to build sustainable cities where the ecosystem is holistically ensured, where the aspects of the city system works in tandem for its people and the environment, and where the lives of all people who inhabit them will be enriched.
The president used the opportunity to commiserate with the government and people Ondo state over the recent killing of worshippers in a church in Owo.” We condemn the gory and mindless attack in the strongest terms and urge the Government and the security agencies to painstakingly investigate the ugly incident to unravel and promptly bring to justice the perpetrators”.

By: Gabriel Nwanetanya