The Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV) has called on the Federal government to review or remove the Land Use Act of 1978 from the constitution of the Country.
This call was made by the President of the Institution, Johnbull Amayaevbo while addressing newsmen at the 53rd Annual Conference of the institution in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, North Central Nigeria.
The President noted that the Act which vested all land comprised in the territory of each State in the Federation in the Governor of that State is said to be outdated and no longer suit the reality of recent times.
While noting that the Act is failing to tackle challenges facing in the housing sector in the Country today, Amayaevbo appealed on the Federal government to make a deliberate programme and set up a robust agenda for housing delivery that must put in place proper institutional framework cutting across all levels of government.
He said, “Federal Government should as a matter of necessity make housing a deliberate program and set up a robust agenda for housing delivery that must put in place proper institutional framework cutting across all levels of government, Local, State and Federal, private sector driven mortgage system with full government support in terms of policy and regulatory functions.
“Extremely important for the government to address and on which we would engage it more seriously is the issue of housing and infrastructure development. There is an urgent need to address the housing challenge in the country and plan for future housing delivery.”
The President further advocate for greater government support and encouragement for housing and infrastructure development.
He urged the government to partner with the private sector and the professionals to draw housing programme and adopt social housing initiatives to provide affordable homes to the citizens and called for the establishment of the Ministry of Lands and Housing.
In other part of his remarks, Amayaevbo spoke on the pervasive nature of corruption and its detrimental effects on national development, stressing on the need for asset valuation as an effective tool to combat corruption, both globally and within Nigeria.
He said “Corruption is a complex phenomenon which occurs on different scales and which appears with regular frequency in virtually all countries of the world. No nation is immune to this endemic sociological occurrence.
“In view of the growing corruption in the world and its harmful effects, the United Nations General Assembly in 2003 declared 9 December as “World Anti-Corruption Day to raise awareness among the people. This is because corruption is the biggest obstacle to the development and prosperity of any nation.
“It is a deadly cancer for any society. It nurtures coercion, exploitation, oppression. inequality. lawlessness, insecurity, and injustice. Corruption induces a false sense of wellbeing in the society directly affecting the overall development and also causes inexplicable moral and physical degradation to the coming generations.”
He added that the conference’s objective was to equip policy makers and relevant agencies with the necessary knowledge and strategies to tackle corruption and enhance transparency in the valuation of assets.
While acknowledging the untold hardship the removal of fuel subsidy is bringing to the people, Amayaevbo applauded President Ahmed Bola Tinubu noting that the move will bring long-term benefits to the nation.
He said, “Going forward; there are huge benefits of subsidy removal to the economy though, and as a matter of fact, if sincerely implemented, the long term benefits are huge, and worth the pains and sacrifices of the moment”.
Amayaevbo also took a moment to express his condolences and sympathies to the people of Kwara State following a tragic boat accident at Patigi local government Area of the State,
He stressed the need for comprehensive safety measures to prevent future occurrences and ensure the safety of citizens adding that the Nigerian Inland Waterways Authority, other regulating and enforcement agencies should ensure that laws governing this form of transport are strictly complied with.
“The law prohibiting nighttime sailing in the country for instance is rarely enforced. This should be looked into. It is time we started doing the right things,” he declared.
The President of the institution and his team later paid a courtesy call on the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu Gambari in his palace where he formally invited the monarch to grace the opening ceremony of it’s conference holding in Ilorin and announced that the former President of Ghana, John Mahama, Arch Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Hassan Kukah , the Kwara State Governor, Mallam Abdul Rahman AbdulRazaq and members of the National and state Assemblies are expected to be in attendance.
The theme of this year’s conference is “Asset Valuation as a Global Anti-Corruption Tool: The Nigeria Experience.”
PIAK
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