Why Nigeria needs a ‘Valuer-General’ – NIESV

The creation of the office of a Valuer-General in all the 36 states of the federation will address the issues of proper assessment, valuation and documentation of all the landed properties in the country, the Lagos State Branch Chairman of Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV), Mr. Samuel Ukpong has said.

Ukpong made the call during a press conference at NIESV’s secretariat in Lagos to announce the upcoming Institution’s week.
He noted that a lot of lands in the country were dead property, while there were professional estate valuers and surveyors who could have added value to such lands.

“With the establishment of the Office of the Valuer-General, the issue of false declaration of assets, embezzlement of funds and stealing will properly be addressed.

“All the landed property in the country has an economic value, which can be developed through the help of the Valuer-General,’’ he said.

The NIESV boss added that it was the duty of the Valuer-General to do proper assessment of lands to ensure that citizens give true declaration of their assets.

Ukpong stressed that estate valuers/ surveyors were professionally learned to interpret figures and issues relating to budgets in particular and the economy in general.

The NIESV official noted that the dwindling economy of the country was as a result of the fact that relevant professionals were not always consulted in decision-making.

“We are concerned about the economic situation of the country and how to improve it.

“It is time the government appoints Estate Valuers and Surveyors as ministers and commissioners, for effective promotion of growth and development in the country,’’ he added.