Flooding: NIESV Calls For Proactive Measures To Avert National Crisis

Folalumi Alaran

The Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers has called for preemptive measures and coordinated efforts to prevent a national crisis and economic downturn brought on by the country’s twin issues of flooding and insecurity.

Speaking with reporters recently in Abuja, the council’s president, Mr. Johnbull Amayaevbo, said that since the flood began, a number of tropical diseases linked to contaminated water have killed roughly 64 people in northeastern Nigeria.

He said, ” This calls for serious concern. We urge the government at all level to marshal more resources and deploy with speed to the affected areas through the appropriate agencies and arms of government to prevent the spread of Cholera and other transmitted diseases.”

He continued by saying that other branch heads had received orders from his office to visit the affected regions and locations within their States and provide whatever assistance they could.

In his subsequent remarks, he made clear that the government needs to reconsider its policies for dealing with security issues nationwide in light of the escalating battles between security forces and neighborhood rebels.

As a result, he recommends that the government and security agencies take a more proactive approach by conducting well-coordinated intelligence gathering.

He said, ” We implore the government to be more engaging with the aim of addressing as much as possible, the most pressing problems of hunger, unemployment and poverty in the land. Government should also look at the agitations of the people and endeavour to offer reassurances, build confidence and trust as much as feasible as a way of dousing tensions among the various ethnic groups.

” Religious and traditional leaders should be encouraged to preach and promote peace within their domains. For Nigeria to be experiencing continued attacks on helpless and peace loving citizens without bringing the perpetrators to justice, smacks of complacency by the law enforcement agencies. Government should focus on this area, and do the needful.”

In reference to the approaching 2023 presidential election, he said that NIESV is a non-partisan organization and would not support any party or candidate.

He did point out that, as a professional organization, they would involve the presidential candidates in an effort to persuade the winner to understand and value the significance of allowing professional groups to play significant roles in governance.

Therefore, he urged INEC to carefully examine the candidates and their manifestoes. He also urged the electorate to choose leaders they believed would directly address issues like poverty, security, and other national challenges.

He said, ” We however urge INEC to ensure that the election is not only free, fair and credible, but must be seen and accepted as such by local and international observes and the generality of Nigerians. INEC must be impartial. We call on the security agencies to act in fairness, in national interest, be civil and ensure the safety of Nigerians, the electoral personnel, voting materials, before, during and after the elections, We also urge Nigerians to vote freely for the candidates of their choices.

In addition, he demanded that the Federal and State Governments establish the office of the Surveyor-General and immediately establish the Directorate of Valuation within the Code of Conduct Bureau.

He claimed that some state governments have continued to refuse Estate Surveyors and Valuers recognition and placement in the positions they deserve due to their education, professionalism, and flagrant disregard for the enabling laws.