Nigeria: The Nigerian Institution of Surveyors (NIS) urged the Nigerian Federal Government to elevate the status of the Office of the Surveyor General of the Federation (OSGOF) by backing it up with legislation. The NIS demanded to make it a body like the Accountant General of the Federation. This call was made when NIS members led by their president, Surv. Yakubu Maikano met with the Minister of Works, Architect Mike Onolememen.
Maikano stated that surveyors have expertise in fields like GIS, land information management, hydrography, coastal area and marine management, aerial survey and mapping, etc. He stressed that land, being a basic natural resource for every nation, must be accurately documented and managed to ensure the nation’s sustainable development. He added that the only way to ensure this is to adopt surveying and mapping as a matter of government policy.
“The NIS strongly believes that where the Federal Ministry of Works is handling a project that has surveying input, the Office of the Surveyor-General of the Federation should supervise such input. It is erroneous, uneconomical and often counter-productive to allow other professionals to execute surveying contents of projects. Supervision by OSGOF ensures that competent professionals, technologists and technicians are engaged to perform the works; design standards and safe keeping of all works.”
The minister said, “Surveying is a very important profession. Other design professions, including engineers often make use of the input of surveyor. Since I resumed office I have had to deal with some of the issues you raised. And I have been in close working relationship with OSGOF on issues like general surveying, mapping, boundary issues etc.”
Source: allAfrica.com
