QSRBN laments federal government’s neglect

A surveyor on site

The Quantity Surveyors Registration Board of Nigeria, QSRBN has lamented over government’s lack of support and funding for the Board in the past.

President of the QSRBN, Mallam Husaini Dikko stated this at the maiden QSRBN Stakeholders Forum and presentation of the 2010-2012 Annual Report and Accounts in Abuja over the weekend.

Dikko claimed that lack of funds, amongst others are responsible for the appalling state of the QSRBN. He also noted that the QSRBN had under-performed in the past 21 years of existence hence unable to meet its mandate given to it by the enabling law.

His words, “A critical appraisal revealed that weak organizational structure, poor institutional design, weak governmental support and funding especially by government whose agency the Board is, were the main reasons for this appalling state of affairs.”

He disclosed that the Board operated without a Registrar for a period of five years; meetings of the Board were irregular; salaries of staff were rarely paid hence they were owed years of salaries in arrears, staff morale was low.

“Office rent was also owed. The Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors, NIQS had to bail out the Board at various times; no provision was made for staff of QSRBN by Federal Government Annual Appropriation Act.

“When we came into office in September, 2010, only two Induction ceremonies were held; only 1281 registered Quantity Surveyors and 54 practicing firms had been inducted by the Board in the past 21 years. The current Board inherited a secretariat with a staff strength of four including a part-time Registrar. The three permanent staff met on ground was an Administrative manager, confidential secretary and a clerk,” he revealed.

Meanwhile, the QSRBN president disclosed that the governing Board has in the past two years registered and inducted 630 new Quantity Surveyors; the staff strength has increased from four to 14 including a part-time Registrar but requires about 40 to operate optimally. The Board has also taken a life insurance policy for all the staff and members of the QSRBN, amongst other things.