The Lagos State branch of the Nigerian Institution of Surveyors on Friday called on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to carry out a statewide head count, in other to ascertain the population of the State.
The surveyors who rise from the 2025 Global Surveyors Day celebration promised continued support for the Governor’s Greater Lagos ambition.
At a press parley organised in commemoration of World Surveyors Day, themed: “Shaping the Future on the Wisdom of Surveying”, the Surveyors were unanimous in their call for adequate recognition for the surveying practice and the practitioners across the State, as a way to ensure that the appropriate professionals are allowed to handle various aspects in the building sector.
Speaking at the event held at the NIS Building, Alausa Ikeja, Chairman of the Lagos Chapter of the body, Olukolade Abdulrazak Kasim (fnis) said: “The frequent, constant and often collapse of various infrastructures across the length and breadth of the country could be attributed to not having the foundation right.
“The nation must realize that surveyors are better equipped to ensure that the right foundation is put in place for all aspects of national development.”
The Chairman then boasted that surveying practitioners are adequately equipped to respond to challenges of urbanisation, as well as contribute to plans to address challenges so that short, medium and long-term goals can be achieved in line with Sanwo-Olu’s THEMES Plus Agenda.
As part of efforts to promote professionalism and best practices in the built environment, Olukolade said the Institution has invested heavily in capacity building for members to enable them to acquire the necessary skills towards improving capabilities, especially in these difficult times.
Noting that the Global Surveyors Day celebration has been firmly established as a credible forum for a reflection on the state of the profession thereby enhancing the mobility of surveying professionals and ensuring a high standard of professional practice in Lagos State, the Chairman, who was represented by his Vice, Moses Olukayode Ogundare therefore called on the Government to strengthen the existing collaboration with surveyors as a way to mitigate challenges in the built sector, major of which he says is the menace of building collapses.
While commending the Sanwo-Olu-led administration for infrastructural transformation taking place in the State, the Association, however listed some aspects where they expect improvement to ensure that the state achieves its set goal of a sustainable environment.
“We envision a well-planned and efficient Lagos with adequate housing, infrastructure, and universal access to employment and basic services such as water, energy, and sanitation,” he submitted.
He also said that the body is in collaboration with the Government on how to achieve a sustainable environment in the state while also calling on the Sanwo-Olu administration to improve upon some aspects of their practice.
“We have also been working with the Government to find ways of establishing a strong link between planning, urban laws and sustainable development, in shaping the pattern and scope of physical growth of Lagos State, in terms of spatial order, design, land use and infrastructural proposals for either immediate or future development towards building a better future for our city.
“We hereby implore the State Government to as a matter of urgency look into the following to ensure that the dreams of the common Nigerian living in Lagos are realized: Improve speed of Land Registration and Titling, Reduce the cost of land registration and titling,
“Enforce at conception, urban planning, rules and regulations in conformity with existing Master/ Model City Plans and Develop long-term funding solutions for Assisted Land Equity down-market through mortgage.
“The body also want the government to expand access to land acquisition financing,
develop partnerships on infrastructure development to reshape the urban vision of tomorrow, create an enabling environment for PPPS, through processes and clear strategies on how to engage with the Government and also review and update existing Master/ Model City Plans, to ensure that they are integrated with existing Development Plans of the State.
“We look forward to the Conduct of a Census to determine the actual number of People living in the State. We hereby urge the State Government to put in place the Apparatus To Enforce the Anti-Land Grabbing Law, the insanity of Thugs harassing people is unacceptable.
“We envision a well-planned and efficient Lagos with adequate housing, infrastructure, and universal access to employment and basic services such as water, energy, and sanitation.
“We have also been working with the Government to find ways of establishing a strong link between planning, urban laws and sustainable development, in shaping the pattern and scope of physical growth of Lagos State, in terms of spatial order, design, land use and infrastructural proposals for either immediate or future development towards building a better future for our city,” he said.
