Surveyor Kabir, M.M, Registrar of Surveyors Council of Nigeria (SURCON) invited Vice President Diane Dumashie to participate as a resource person and facilitator in the SURCON annual workshop for training of tertiary institutions survey and geo-informatics educators, which was held at Porto Golf Luxury Resort, Minjibir Kano, Kano state, Nigeria from 1st – 5th July, 2019.

SURCON is the agency of the Federal Government of Nigeria responsible for the registration and examination of surveyors across all states in Nigeria.  It regulates and controls the practice of Survey profession in the country. Accordingly, it determines the standards of knowledge and skills required to be registered as a member of the profession, organizing annual workshops featuring up and coming technologies combined with leading edge thinking and providing continual professional development for land professionals in Nigeria.

Under the leadership of Registrar, Surveyor Kabir an increasingly popular and participatory approach to running the annual meetings has been established over the past few years.  This 2019 event was designed as a Train-the – Trainers workshop (TTW), which is a learning platform for lectures and instructors in Nigerian accredited institutions that offer survey and geo- informatics.  

Building on the previous years’ workshop, the aim was to increase the awareness of participants on the desirability of fit-for-purpose approach in surveying and cadastre, hence the theme of the workshop is captioned “CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES IN FIT-FOR-PURPOSE CADASTRE”.   The participants are expected to understand new globally acceptable technologies in surveying and mapping; this in turn underpins the need to redesign the focus of surveying and cadastre from purely production of an accurate map to that of an important input into national development, wealth generation, employment,  environment,  social economic and gender balances; in fact the totality of the SDGs.  

Ultimately, this approach will need a paradigm shift to be fit for the future and consequently will requires consideration of how to overhaul the curriculum of surveying and geoinformatics in Nigeria.

Attending dignitaries included Surv.Kasim M.O, Chairman of The Council, Surv. E. B Awudu, the Surveyor General of the Federation, the Nigeria Institution of Surveyors(NIS) was represented by Deputy President Kayode Oluwamatomi and NIS Secretary General, the women’s wing of Surveyors in Nigeria, Women in Surveying,(WIS) was represented by its national coordinator Surv.Gertrude Njar and Surv Angela Etuonovbe. In addition the Chairman SURCON Committee on Education, Surv.Osalusi, F.O, and Chairman Examinations Committee, Surv.Eyo,O.O, Chairman Registration Committee Surv. Haido A.A attended along with several State Surveyor Generals from across the Federation.

There were over 100 land professional educators representing many of the Nigerian polytechnics and Universities and a small number of private practitioners. 

Opening Dignitaries including (L-R)Surv. Osalusi F.O, (Chairman Exam committee), Surv. Kasim M.O, fnis (SURCON Chairman), Surv. Oluwamotemi K.O. (NIS Deputy President), and Dianne Dumashie (FIG Vice President).