Ogun Surveyors Commission 20-Hectare Estate, 1,500-Capacity Hall, Begin Construction Of SURCON Ethics Centre
….Blame Quacks, Substandard Materials For Building Collapse
……Says Over 300 Registered Surveyors Operating In Ogun – SURCON Registrar
Firdaus Obiremi
The Nigerian Institution of Surveyors (NIS), Ogun State Branch, has commissioned a 20-hectare residential estate for its members, unveiled a 1,500-capacity multipurpose event hall and commenced the construction of a new regulatory facility for the Surveyors Council of Nigeria (SURCON).
The projects, unveiled on Thursday as part of activities marking a major leadership transition and investiture ceremony in Ogun State, are aimed at strengthening professional development, improving members’ welfare and enhancing the regulation of surveying practice.
The landmark event, held under the theme, ‘Celebrating Leadership: Commissioning Landmarks, Building the Future’, brought together professional surveyors, government representatives and other stakeholders in the built environment sector.
The projects include the APPSN Surveyors Estate and Event Centre at Obada-Oko, spanning 20 hectares; the foundation-laying ceremony for the SURCON State Committee on Ethics building at Oke-Mosan; and the commissioning of the NIS Ogun State Branch Multipurpose Hall at Magbon.
Speaking at the event, the outgoing Chairman of the Association of Private Practising Surveyors of Nigeria, Ogun State Branch, Surveyor Adekoya Kayode Samuel, described the developments as the fulfilment of a long-standing vision achieved through collective sacrifice, perseverance and institutional cooperation.
He said the projects represented more than physical infrastructure, stressing that they reflected the determination of members to build enduring institutions capable of supporting the profession beyond individual leadership tenures.
“We gather not merely to commission physical structures, but to celebrate a shared vision brought to life through sacrifice, cooperation, perseverance and an unwavering commitment to our noble profession,” Samuel said.
He disclosed that the association’s event centre project, which had remained stalled for about 15 years, was eventually completed after his executive committee prioritised its delivery.
Samuel also highlighted the development of the 20-hectare estate at Obada-Oko as one of the major welfare interventions undertaken during his tenure.
According to him, registered surveyors were allocated plots measuring 2,000 square metres each, alongside administrative support to facilitate property development, adding that some beneficiaries had already constructed their houses and moved into the estate.
He said the outgoing executive also recorded progress in continuous professional development and the adoption of modern technologies to improve surveying practice in the state.
However, Samuel urged the incoming leadership to establish sustainable management structures to protect the projects from deterioration and prevent them from becoming abandoned assets.
“The true test of this achievement will be how well we manage and utilise these assets moving forward.
“We must institute a management system that will ensure this legacy survives changes in leadership. Our responsibility is to build structures and systems that are bigger than individuals and stronger than administrations,” he said.
He also appealed to the Federal and Ogun State governments to prioritise affordable housing schemes, arguing that access to decent accommodation remained a fundamental human need despite competing demands on public resources.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of NIS, Ogun State Branch, Surveyor Abiodun Olufemi Liadi, attributed recurring building collapses in major Nigerian cities to poor construction practices, substandard materials, professional negligence and failure to comply with established standards.
