Fashola Implores Estate Surveyors to Explore Technology, Innovation in their Profession Works and Housing Minister, Babatunde Fashola, SAN has urged the Estate Surveyors and Valuers in the Country to explore modern technology and innovation in the practice of their profession. He said " As newly inducted Estate Surveyors and Valuers, I implore you to explore modern technology and innovation in enhancing professionalism and good service delivery in your day to day tasks". The Minister spoke in Abuja as a special Guest of Honour at the 44th Induction Ceremony of newly registered Estate Surveyors and Valuers, Thursday June 17, 2021. Fashola was represented by the Honourable Minister of State for Works and Housing, Engr Abubakar D. Aliyu, FNSE. The Minister described the induction of the new members to fully practice Estate Surveying and Valuation in the country, as timely, especially this critical time that the infrastructures in Nigeria are undergoing re-engineering and rehabilitation. " Your responsibilities have now been increased as the thrust of Government is about infrastructures, which requires professionals like you to help drive her interest and safeguard wastage" he said. Fashola also charged them to look at the potentialities and contributions their Profession can unlock in this dare time that the nation's infrastructures and national assets are experiencing deficit. While commending the ESV Board for giant stride in uplifting the profession in terms of capacity building, Fashola also noted  the critical role the Board is playing in regulating and controlling the practice of the profession in Nigeria. He listed: securing the establishment and maintenance of Register of persons qualified to practice the profession and publication of lists of such persons and firms, has greatly enhances professionalism in the practice. On the same vein, Fashola noted that the Estate Surveyors and Valuers (Registration. etc) Act (CAP. E13 LFN2004 enpowers the Board to provide operation license for institutions that meets specific minimum standards, explaining that, the Board has so far  registered up to 4,000 practitioners, 4,000 firms and accredited about 35 institutions of higher learning. He charged the BOARD to ensure that the stock of Estate Surveyors and Valuers is increased to meet the needs of the Nation. On the challenges, Fashola said " the challenges are extremely large especially in the areas of legislation, little recognition by the public, invasion of the industry by unlicensed and unprofessionals amongst others". Accordingly, he assured that, the Ministry of Works and Housing is doing all it can by creating enabling environment where Estate Surveyors and Valuers can strive and make impact to support the Nigerian economy. The Minister disclosed that many Estate Surveyors and Valuers have submitted expression of interest to execute the Ministry's valuation works in all Federal Secretariats across the country, which he said is already going through the procurement processes. He explained that the Ministry is presently desirous with the implementation of International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) meant to achieve resource utilization and management of assets for decision making. Accordingly, Fashola challenged them not to rest on their little achievements but to continue to strive towards loftier goals by making Nigeria a better place for economic growth ...

Fashola Salutes Pioneering Work of Alhaji Femi Okunnu in Inaugurating ARCON 52 Years Ago  ·       Minister advocates synergy, cooperation among Nigerians as he performs groundbreaking, foundation laying ceremony of ARCON House in Abuja ·      Commends ARCON for showing example of choosing to build in spite of past disagreement ·      ARCON President, past president, Obong Victor Attah, others praise Minister for brokering peace within the profession Fifty-two years after he served as Federal Commissioner for Works, Elder Statesman, Alhaji Femi Okunnu, was Thursday commended by the current Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN, for kick-starting the great journey of building the nation, by inaugurating the first Architects Registration Council of Nigeria (ARCON) in 1969. Fashola, who spoke Thursday while performing the groundbreaking and foundation laying ceremony of the proposed ARCON House in Abuja, saluted the former Federal Commissioner for Works, who happens to be his Uncle, for his foresight, describing as ironic the fact that he is today continuing the journey of nation-building as a distant successor of his Uncle. “It is indeed very ironic that I happen to be here today to now continue the journey he started. Really, it is interesting how these things happen and ironically none of us is an architect, but very happily we are both lawyers”, the Minister said expressing joy that the challenge is that of building and not of disagreement. In a short but impactful speech he gave at the ceremony, Fashola called for synergy and cooperation among all Nigerians, especially professionals and other stakeholders, to join hands to rebuild the nation, saying in spite of the challenges and disagreements among the various stakeholders and interest groups, Nigerians could work together to build a nation of peace and harmony. He told the quality audience consisting of past presidents of ARCON, members of Council and other icons in the Built Industry, “This is time for rebuilding our nation, this is time for rebuilding brotherhood, this is time for building our future”, adding that in a symbolic way, ARCON, by the day’s event, “is building its own future”. Noting with delight that despite being enmeshed in challenges of disagreement a few years ago, ARCON had decided to set aside those challenges and build for itself a befitting House, Fashola declared, “Therefore, in spite of disagreements, we can still build if we choose to listen, if we choose to work together and if we choose to keep ego aside”. The Minister commended the current ARCON leadership noting that three years ago, when it was inaugurated, the Architecture profession had very many challenges which he described as largely man-made. “But” he added, “I am happy that Engr. Ajayi (President of ARCON) and his team have taken upon themselves to say that if these problems are man-made, it will only take men of goodwill to resolve it and this is a very good example of the microcosm of what ARCON has done as a blessing to all of us”. Commending ARCON for the decision to build and establish its presence in the Federal Capital Territory as a symbol of the unity of its professionals, Fashola declared, “To all the seen and unseen hands who have helped to restore engagement, who have helped to restore that family, I send my great word of thanks”, adding, “This is a much better place for the Architecture Family than where it was three years ago”. “I am joyous because you have helped to give invaluable quality to the many generations of those who are aspiring to join the profession. This is a very great challenge worth having; a challenge of building not a challenge of disagreement”, the Minister said. Fashola, who expressed pleasure in the honour accorded him to perform the ceremony, however called on all the stakeholders to endeavour to contribute their quotas to see to the completion of the House in record time, adding, “The work has just begun, so all of those hands, president and past presidents and all other interest groups must brace up to this challenge, so together we can hand-over a very befitting and very momentous turn to the next generation”. In his goodwill message earlier, the Governor of Taraba State, Arch. Darius Dickson Isiaku, congratulated ARCON for finally deciding to build for itself, describing as a paradox the fact that the Council has for decades built edifices for others without having a roof over its own head.  Commending the efforts of the Minister of Works and Housing and his FCT counterpart to bring the ARCON decision to reality, the Governor, who was represented at the occasion by one of the State officials, Arc. Dauda, also commended the efforts of the Council to make the project possible at this time. In his own goodwill, the Minister of Industries, Trade and Investment, Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo, who was also represented at the occasion, congratulated ARCON on its efforts to establish its presence in Abuja noting that by its mandate his Ministry considers ARCON a veritable stakeholder in the development of the nation. Others who gave goodwill messages included a past President of ARCON and former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Arc. Obong Victor Attah, who thanked Fashola for brokering lasting peace within the profession urging him to ensure that Nigeria is being built by Nigerian Architects and where a foreigner is concerned, such foreigner should be registered in Nigeria. Earlier in his welcome address, ARCON President, Arch (Sir) Gabriel Oladipupo Ajayi listed the cardinal objectives of ARCON to include re-engineering the Council, harmonizing positions with all interest groups with the help of the Minister of Works and Housing, who, according to him, “calls us together all the time” and building a befitting home for Architects as well as maintaining a visible presence in Lagos. Expressing gratitude to the Minister for his peace efforts that have brought the profession and interest groups together, the ARCON President declared, “On his part, he has been a backbone of this Council”, adding that as a result the Council has delivered on all fronts. ...

Sensitize Other Institutions for Partnership –Aliyu The Minister of State for Works and Housing, Engr. Abubakar Aliyu, FNSE has advised management of the Nigerian Institution of Surveyors to sensitize other government and non- governmental institutions on the important of survey to infrastructure development in order to enjoy wide partnership. Aliyu who represented the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, SAN gave the advice during a courtesy visit by a delegation of the Nigerian Institution of Surveyors. The Minister further noted that the Ministry of Works and Housing appreciates the value of the institution to building and construction, adding that other institutions like the Nigerian Army should be sensitized on the importance of survey in construction works in order to partner with the institution in all their construction activities. Aliyu added that the world would not be stable without survey, stating that nothing could be put on the ground without properly giving all the coordinates and the levels to superimpose whatever anyone would want to impose on the ground. “Sensitize people to partner with you, it will enable them imbibe best global practices to what they are doing,” the Minister added. Engr. Aliyu assured the delegation of the ministry's support towards the successful hosting of the 2021 Annual Meeting of the Nigerian Institution of Surveyors in Abuja. Speaking earlier, the leader of the delegation and President of the Nigerian Institution of Surveyors, Surv.  Charles D. Charles said they were in the ministry to invite the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, SAN as the Chief Host of the forthcoming Annual General Meeting of the Institution and solicit for the support and cooperation of the ministry towards the event. Surv.  Charles disclosed that the annual meeting of the institution which has as its theme, "Emerging trends in Geospatial Technologies for Earth System and Infrastructure Mapping Monitoring and Management,” would be held in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, from 25th – 27th May, 2021. According to the President of the Nigerian Institution of Surveyors, the sub- themes would address trends in Geospatial Technologies which would include: Mapping and Monitoring, Earth Resources Mapping, Monitoring and Management. In addition, Surv Charles explained that the conference would create opportunities for all stakeholders in the geo-spatial industry to discuss and showcase latest developments in knowledge, processes and facilities that would help drive the surveying and mapping environment for successful delivery of national and organizational policies and projects. He further informed the Minister that the investiture of the 22nd President of the Institution would take place on 27th May, 2021 at the conference. The Nigerian Institution of Surveyors (NIS) is the umbrella Professional Association of Surveyors in Nigeria, a member of the International Federation of Surveyors ( IFS), the Commonwealth Association of Surveying and Land Economy ( CASLE)and the Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria (APBN). ...