The National President of the National President of Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV), Mr Rowland Abonta, has lamented that quacks are misrepresenting professionals in the built industry.
He, however, disclosed that most building collapses are attributable to patronage of quacks.
Abonta also described as worrisome the penchant of most Nigerians preferring to deal with quacks than dealing with professionals in the sector.
The NIESV president, who spoke in Abuja recently while inaugurating the Corporate Affairs Committee for the 2018/2019 year, also decried the poor remuneration of operators in the real estate subsector of economy.
“We are determined to occupy our public space and make sure that non-professionals will have no room to be around our professional areas of practice that is part of the assignment of this Committee today.
“The issue of poor remuneration for professional services is another great challenge for us. People are reluctant to pay for services when rendered until when they get their hands burnt patronizing quacks before they return back to us.
“We want to call on Nigerians to always insist on dealing with professionals particularly in the real estate sector”, he said.
He charged the institution’s newly constituted Corporate Affairs Committee arm to devote efforts towards dissuading Nigerians from dealing with quacks in the real estate sector.
The 42 member committee has Monday Ahiwe, the National Publicity Secretary of the institution as Chairman, and Kelechi Agu as Secretary.
According to Abonta, the committee will serve as the image maker of the institution with responsibility of dishing out proper information designed to put the institution in public domain, as well as leading in public enlightenment on what Estate Surveyors and valuers stand for in the country.
Responding, the committee chairman assured that he would work hard to improve service delivery and urged private developers to always endeavour to identify relevant professionals whenever they want to embark on building construction to reduce incidences of building collapse.
According to him, only the professionals can deliver a proper job because there are regulated and monitored among themselves.
