By Ighomuaye Lucky. O
The Nigerian Institution of Surveyors (NIS) has urged the Edo State governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki to upgrade the Edo State survey department to an extra ministerial status and to be named the office of the Survey General of Edo State which should be likened to its counterparts in Ogun, Lagos and other states presently.
The National President of NIS, Surv. Matthew Olomolatan Ibitoye made the appeal at the 58th Edo Annual General Meeting and Conference held in Benin.
He also lamented the non accreditation of surveying and geoinformatics programmes in the Nigerian universities and polytechnics across the federation, which he said has resulted to shortages of surveyors in the country.
He said in Nigeria, there exists approximately 33 universities and 34 polytechnics but only few of them have the man power to train surveyors and which has negatively affected the profession.
“Furthermore, I wish to highlight the urgent need for investment in our educational institutions that train surveying and geoinformatics professionals.
“Currently, these institutions suffer from a shortage of qualified and adequate lecturers, resulting in a poor lecturer-student ratio.
“This along with other factors such as lack of adequate modern equipment and a poor teaching environment, often contributes to the non-accreditation of surveying and geoinformatics programmes in most institutions.
“Current statistics show that we have approximately 33 universities and 34 polytechnics offering surveying programmes in Nigeria but fewer Lecturers, indicating a dire situations”, Ibitoye said.
Ibitoye urged the federal government to urgently intervene and recruit more lecturers to man these institutions of learning so that the wide gaps could be bridged.
The national president of NIS, while looking at how Nigerians are leaving the country in droves, appealed to the federal government to look inward and see how the issue could be addressed in the short possible time.
Declaring the 58th Edo Annual General Meeting and Conference open in Benin, the state governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, represented by his deputy, Engr. Godwins Omobayo, welcome the association to the state and wished them a peaceful deliberation.
The governor, further assured them that the issue raised as regards the upgrade of the Edo State survey department to an extra ministerial status will be looked
into and will be addressed.