Walter Onnoghen
The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Walter Onnoghen, will inaugurate Valuers Registration Board of Nigeria (ESVARBON) 14-member disciplinary tribunal in few weeks time.
It’s coming on the heels of the board’s extension of accreditation of seven universities offering degrees and diplomas in estate management. The institutions are University of Lagos, Nnamdi Azikiwe Univeristy, Awka, Abia State University, Uturu, Cross River University of Science and Technology, Calabar, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Bayero University, Kano and Federal lytechnic, Idah. About 19 universities and 24 polytechnics in the country have been accredited.
In his maiden press conference in Lagos, the new Chairman, Mr. Nweke Umezurike explained that appealed to public to bring to the board any infractions noticed among registered persons and ‘watch the board deal with such reports expeditiously.”
He stated that the core functions of the board is the enhancement and maintenance of sounds as well as ethical professional standard in accordance with international best practices.
Umezurike who was elected 14th chairman following the demise of the predecessor, Mr. Yinka Sonaike, plans to increase membership of registered estate surveyors and valuers, enforcement of discipline. The number of registered persons in the profession stands at about 4,450 while another group of 98 has been approved.
Meanwhile, estate surveyors and valuers have been tasked on the necessity of developing strategic thinking that would bring about unique brand identity and eliminate acts of commoditising their trade.
Speaking at a Business Luncheon organised by the Lagos State Branch of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV) in collaboration with ESVARBON, the Chief Executive Officer of Corporate Shepherds Limited, Idorenyen Enang lamented on the dwindling fortunes of the profession which he said has given room for everyone to come in.
He said to reverse the trend, practitioners must be encouraged to invest more in training and infrastructure development, as the profession is becoming fluid due to influx of quacks.
He posited that what needs to be done at the moment is to identify and establish brand positioning as well as brainstorm on ideas and technologies that would turn around the fortune of the business.
Speaking on ‘New opportunities, prospects, compliance and proposals’, an estate surveyor, Gbenga Olaniyan, said members should develop the types of property that the people require, offer flexible payment plans because of the current dip in the market. He advised that practitioners should come together, and form partnership to consult for investment clubs.
The Chairman of the occasion, Emeka Eleh, a past NIESV president, while launching the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) platform, a website that would connect property buyers and sellers, checkmates incidences of quacks and lack of credibility in real estate transaction. He lauded the faculty of Estate Agency and Marketing, a business division of NIESV for achieving the dream.
The chairman of the faculty, Sam Eboigbe said the website is for NIESV members nationwide to advertise lands, and property in Nigeria and abroad. He emphasised that the scheme would redeem the already bastardised name and promote easy identification of the core professionals who will render truthful service.
