The Nigerian Institute of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV), a group of real estate experts, has stated that it opposes the federal government’s sale of national property in an unauthorized or illegal manner.
They further pointed out that it was improper for public infrastructure to be given away and suggested that more attention be paid to maintaining and managing government property.
The keynote speaker, Mrs. Tina Onokwai, speaking at a conference on Tuesday in Abuja said that in order to use public assets for the intended purpose, priority must be given to their worth.
The seminar’s focus was “Managing and maintaining Public Assets for Sustainable Development in Nigeria.”
The cornerstone that has a significant good impact on both the national and local economies, in her opinion, is assets.
The continuous deteriorated state of assets, she continued, is due to political, economic, budgetary, and capacity deficiencies.
She said, “Infrastructure is one of the cornerstones in the delivery of public services but effective management of infrastructural assets is central to the development and is the centrepiece of every development.
“Public assets maintenance and management is an industry that creates work, adds value, drives growth and contributes to national productivity.”
Further, NIESV President Johnbull Amayaevbo advocated cooperation with other organizations to successfully implement Executive Order 11 as issued by President Muhammadu Buhari.
He added, “Nigeria has an issue of maintenance culture, especially in the public sector and that is why the president signed the executive order. But for us to maximise the benefit of that order, all professionals in the built industry must work together.”