…says impact of coronavirus would be terrible in Nigeria
The Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV), has said the housing crisis in Nigeria was one of the reasons responsible for the fast spread of diseases and growing rates of crime in the country.
Outgoing President of NIESV, Rowland Abonta, who made this known at the Fourth Valedictory Council meeting of the Institution on Saturday in Abuja, raised concerns that should coronavirus enter the country, its multiplying effect would be disastrous due to the way people live in Nigeria.
According to him, major cities in the country including the Federal Capital Territory, have been overrun by homeless persons who transfer the aggression of living on the streets into perpetrating evil and criminal activities on ordinary and unprotected persons at every given opportunity.
In his words: “Real industry crisis in Nigeria are numerous but the greatest of the crisis is the housing crisis that we have today. The growing number of people that live under the bridge, that roam about the streets every day and in the evening have nowhere to retire to particularly in a major city in Abuja, is a big challenge and crisis.
“It is a crisis because these are the same people that commit the kind of crimes we see around Abuja now. You can’t drive so late in the night and have reason to break anywhere without being molested, attacked or robbed so, it’s a crisis and a nation which does not care for the way which its people lives, its particularly going to have many more crisis.
“The crisis extends to health challenges when people are not living in a decent environment at all. We thank God that the recent happenings in other countries have not gotten to us. If coronavirus gets to Nigeria, the volume of the impact will be so high because of the way we live.”
The outgoing President noted that NIESV has contributed immensely in the physical development of the nation, the management of the assets of the nation and other areas of its professional competencies, stressed in the need for government, the private sector and individuals to engage qualified estate surveyors andvaluers in managing their properties including their financial statements, assets management and insurance.
Source: newtelegraphng
