…. As governor pledges collaboration

The Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors have lauded Governor Peter Mbah’s development strides in Enugu State, saying the governor had shown the commitment to ensure that development and infrastructure reached every part of the state simultaneously.

The leadership and members of the Institute made their impression known on Wednesday during a courtesy visit to the governor at the Government House, Enugu, on the sidelines of their national workshop and the induction of newly qualified Quantity Surveyors at the International Conference Centre, in the state capital.

The workshop is themed “Standardising Procurement Excellence and Efficiency Efficiency the Nigerian Bureau of Procurement’s Standard Bidding Documents.”

Speaking during the visit, which also had a former Chief of the Army Staff, Quantity Surveyor, Lt. General Azubuike Ihejirika (rtds) in attendance, the Institute’s President, Quantity Surveyor Kene Nzekwe, stressed that members “have continued to enjoy the security, ambience, and tranquility of this beautiful city.”

“It is a known fact that the development and growth of any country or state is highly dependent on her level of infrastructure development and the commitment of the leadership to continue to ensure infrastructure delivery.

“The magnitude of projects traversing the state is a statement that the Governor desires that development quickly reaches every nook and cranny of the state,” he stated.

He pledged the continued partnership of the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors with the Mbah Administration in the planning, execution, and management of all construction projects in the state.

“Your dexterity for economic prosperity and societal well-being, and with the apparent interest of your government to develop infrastructure in various sectors, the role of quantity surveyors cannot be overstated.

“Quantity Surveyors are indispensable in the construction industry, specialising in cost management, ensuring financial efficiency, and maintaining the fiscal integrity of projects.

“By harnessing our expertise, we assure you that projects would not only be completed on time, but also within budgets, thus maximizing the value for money for every naira spent,” he added.

He also sought the government’s support for the Enugu chapter of the Institute.

In his response, Governor Mbah said the theme of the workshop aligned with the administration’s commitment to transparency, pledging continued collaboration with the Institute in the execution and management of the over 2,000 ongoing and completed projects across the state, which includes 260 Smart Green Schools and 260 Type 2 Primary Healthcare Centres across the 260 political wards in Enugu State.

“The theme of your conference actually resonates with us. The first thing I did immediately after my swearing-in was to sign Executive Order 001 and that essentially speaks to transparency. So, our governance philosophy is largely underpinned by those words: transparency, accountability and fund traceability.

“But something that we also do, which is why we find your profession indispensable, is the value for money. We try to squeeze from every naira we spend the last kobo from it. So, we ensure we get the value for everything we spend here in Enugu and there is no way we would have been able to successfully do that without your noble profession,” he stated.