SURVEY BODIES AND INSTITUTIONS

Surveying is a disciplinary subject. Specifically, surveying serves as a foundation discipline in engineering (particularly Civil Engineering), Environmental sciences, Analysis and planning. Surveying also provides the spatial location of the earth’s features and other environmental information necessary for designing engineering works,location,planning and exploitation of natural resources as well as land administration. To carry out these responsibilities, there are bodies who care for survey practices in Nigeria. • BODIES RESPONSIBLE FOR SURVEY PRACTICES IN NIGERIA. 1. Office of the surveyor-General of the Federation(formerly Federal Surveys). 2. State Survey Department. 3. Registered Surveyors. 4. Surveying Department in the Universities and polytechnics. • Office of the Surveyor-General of the Federation(OSGOF) formerly (Federal Survey Department): Surveying is on the concurrent list in the 1979 Federal constitution. By that, it means that both the federal government and the state government can legislate on it. Administratively, the Office of the Surveyor-General of the Federation (OSGOF) does all survey that concerns geodetic work including the establishment of first order and second order control throughout the country. The Office of the Surveyor-General of the Federation (OSGOF) has the responsibility to demarcate national and state boundaries including all the necessary adjustment that may arise at any time. Other responsibilities include: I. Cadastral mapping of major towns in Nigeria, providing controls such as first order controls, second order controls, third order controls and topographic sheets of these towns. II. It handles all matters affecting land acquisition and the production of cadastral plans for the federal government. III. It co-operate with international agencies to carry out international surveys. It produces and markets various kinds of maps throughout the country. It is headed by a Surveyor General. • State Survey Department Each state of the federation has a survey division whose responsibility includes: I. The breaking down of the first order control established by the office of the Surveyor- General of the federation (OSGOF) to smaller orders to enhance survey work. II. To regulate or control the practice of surveying in the state through the Surveyor General who is the head of the division. III. It handles all land acquisition and production of cadastral maps and plans, layout plans and topographic maps for the state. IV. It handles the production and sale of relevant maps and plans. • Registered Surveyors. A registered surveyor is any person who has been registered by the Surveyors Council of Nigeria (SURCON) established by Decree 44 of 1989 of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for the survey of lands in Nigeria. It is the function of the Registered surveyor to engage in surveys of all kinds contracted with individuals, companies, Federal and State governments. They also train and supervise pupil surveyors to become fully registered. • Other Survey Departments. Survey departments in the universities and polytechnics train students in the survey profession. These departments undertake research into many aspect of survey including the duties of the surveyor as it affects instrumentation, methodology and applications.  SURVEYING INSTITUTIONS Surveyors Council of Nigeria (SURCON) Surveyors Council of Nigeria was established by Decree No. 44 of the federal military Government of Nigeria on 15th December 1989. Membership of the Council Subject to the provision of this Decree, the council shall consist of a President who shall be a surveyor to be appointed by the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and the following members; I. Five persons to be appointed by the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of whom at least one shall be the surveyor-general of the Federation and the others from amongst other interest in the field of surveying, which in the opinion of the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces ought to be represented. II. The surveyor-General of each of the states in the federation. III. Twelve persons elected by the Nigerian Institution of Surveyors in the manner for the time being provided in its constitution; and IV. Four persons appointed by the president, Commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces from universities or other institutions offering courses leading to an approved qualification in surveying, no two of whom shall come from the same university.  Functions of Surveyors Council of Nigeria. The council is charged with the responsibilities to:  Determine who surveyors are for the purposes of this Decree.  Determine what standard of knowledge and skill are to be attained by persons seeking to become registered as members of the profession of surveying and reviewing those standards from time as circumstances may require;  Secure in accordance with the provision of this Decree the establishment and maintenance of a register of persons entitled to practice the profession and the publication from time to time , of lists of such persons;  Regulate and control the practice of the profession in all its ramifications;  Maintain in accordance with the Decree of discipline within the profession;  Perform other functions conferred upon the council by the Decree. NIGERIAN INSTITUTION OF SURVEYORS (NIS) The Nigerian Institution of Surveyors (NIS) is the oldest organized profession in Nigeria. Research shows that, it was founded in 1934 as Association of Licensed Surveyors by five pioneer surveyors namely: Herbert Heelas Macaulay (who obtained his professional surveyors license on 8th October 1898) as chairman , E.G. Aiyede, George Debayo Agbebi, C.T. Olumide and J. Began Benjamin as members. In 1960, the association changed its name to Land Surveyors Association of Nigeria with late Cyprian Theodosius Olumide as its chairman. The association was incorporated in 1964. In 1965, the association changed its name to the “ Nigerian Institution of Land Surveyors at its first annual conference in Lagos with C.T. Olumide as its first president. In 1966 at its second annual conference held in Enugu the present name Nigerian Institution of Surveyors was adopted. This association is a member of the International Federation of Surveyors (FIG) and the Commonwealth Association of Surveyors and Land Economy (CASLE). The Nigerian Institution of Surveyors has branches in all the state of the federation and it is mandatory for every qualified surveyor and every aspiring surveyor to be a member of the Nigerian Institution of Surveyors. The Nigerian Institution of surveyors works cooperatively with Surveyors Council of Nigeria. Admission into this association is in five categories namely: 1. Student membership; 2. Probationer membership; 3. Associate membership; 4. Full membership; 5. Fellows . Similarly, in the United Kingdom, for instance professional matters relating to land and other types of surveying are the primary responsibility of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, (RICS), the Society of Surveying Technicians (SST) and the Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors (Inst. CEs). The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors is one of the largest professional bodies in the UK. It regulates the survey practice, promote and publicize the services offered by chartered surveyors. The Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors promote the interest of quantity and land surveyors working in Civil Engineering Industries. The society of surveying technicians’ works in close cooperation with Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and its objective is to set a nationally accepted standard of technical ability.