The President, Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors, QS Kene Nzekwe has called on Ekiti State government to engage the services of Quantity Surveyors in project procurement and execution.
He stated this at a press conference in Ado-Ekiti on Wednesday, 6th November, 2024 during the BGM/Workshop, Investiture and Inauguration of the 5th Senate Executive members, Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors, Ekiti State with the theme: “Sustainable Procurement Practices: Expanding the Frontiers of the QS Profession.”
He decried that Quantity Surveyors have been neglected by governments across all levels while urging the State government to engage their services aimed at ensuring that projects are duly executed and not abandoned.
He said: “We are very worried particularly when Nigerians who are in government and who use public funds, also administer projects without getting quantity surveyors involved.
“It is only the quantity surveyor that can come up with a cost advice that will ensure that the resources that are available can be utilized to the fullest of what they want and judiciously utilized so that the project objective that the client desires can be achieved within the provision of the budget.
“But once you eliminate the quantity surveyor, then what you will have is a catholic of abandoned projects because the one who would provide the cost advice, you did not get him involved, you did not seek his own opinion, you did not bring him on board, So that, from the onset of the project, he would provide the necessary cost advice.
“And our message today is to those who are in charge of Ekiti State as a government, that we as quantity surveyors, we are here willing to partner with them. We want to partner with them because we know that the funds are not available but the ones that are available, we want them to be able to use it in such a way that at the end of it all, they will be able to achieve their project objectives.
“But once you did not get the quantity surveyors involved, there are tendencies that whatever you want to achieve for the people of Ekiti State may just be a mirage. And indeed, the quantity surveyor by virtue of his training, is the only one who is trained to give a proper advice in terms of procurement and if you do not procure well, that project is also bound to fail.”
On the incessant cases of building collapse in the country, he charged the relevant authorities to engage professionals towards eliminating the menace of building collapse.
“We want to use this platform to reach out to those who are supposed to be the approving authorities to ensure that whatever they are going to approve, that the right professionals are involved, who are properly certified by their professional institute and regulatory body.”
In her speech, the newly elected Chairperson of Nigeria Institute of Quantity Surveyors, Comfort Ade-Ojo promised to prioritize welfare of members, adopt membership drive, improve and promote their participation in the activities of the institute.
QS. Ade-Ojo also said that accountability and financial transparency would be her watchword to further build the confidence of members of the institute.
She therefore solicited the cooperation of members of the institute to achieve success and take it to enviable height.
Other new executives are , QS Ajayi Adeife Oluyemi, Deputy Chairman; QS Abe Adekunle A., General Secretary; QS Kolawole Sunday Benjamin, Asst. Secretary; Olanbiwonnu Olayide Joseph, Financial Secretary; QS Lydia Oni, Treasurer; QS Eze Emeka Oster, PRO; QS Olufadeji Kikelomo, WAQSN Coordinator.
