News in 2018

Surveyors Council of Nigeria (SURCON) Train the Trainer Workshop 2018

Leading institutional Change: A Fit for Purpose Approach in Land Administration, Kaduna State Nigeria

21 – 23 January 2018

The Surveyors Council of Nigeria, invited FIG Vice President Diane Dumashie to actively anchor the 2 day SURCON train-the-trainer workshop, held at the Fifth Chukker Polo Club in Katabu, Kaduna, Kaduna State Nigeria, attended by 100 leading academics from across the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

SURCON Workshop - banner

Surv. Kabir M. M. (Registrar SURCON) and his team organised and chaired the workshop to ensure the success of the 2 day meeting, particular thanks also goes to Pamela Abonika (SURCON), a member of Women-in Surveying, and who was indispensably on logistics.  The annual workshop is designed for the participation of lecturers and instructors in accredited Institutions offering Surveying and Geoinformatics in Nigeria.  Importantly members of the young Surveyors network are appreciated in their assistance and the incredible show of enthusiasm for the workshop.  The 2018 training event consisted of 14 sessions.

Picture left: Surv Kabir M.M Registrar, SURCON

Over a day and one half, a masterclass designed and delivered by Vice President Diane Dumashie and assisted by Winston Ayeni to ensure the final masterclass session was able to link to the country context. The Masterclass is a twofold approach: the participants explored the basis of leadership in the context of relevant global trends, underscoring the importance of leadership that engages and influences innovative change, and second building an awareness of the emerging concept of Fit for Purpose approach’ in land administration systems.

The Fit-for-Purpose (FFP) is a concept that provides opportunities for applying the spatial, legal and institutional methodologies that are most fit for the purpose to provide secure tenure for all by addressing implementation considerations, yet allowing for incremental improvement of land administration systems over time.  A guide developed by GLTN, provides a new, innovative and pragmatic solutions to land administration focused on developing countries, where current land administration solutions are not effective or not delivering at scale

Train-the trainer Workshop attendees

With over 100 participants attending from across Nigeria, they together comprised a diverse and generational mix.  Honoured by the inclusion of a traditional title holder who is also a qualified land professional, members of the Education Committee of the Council and several Surveyors Generals joining the academics, this proved to be an audience that delivered articulate insights, probing analytical questions consequently providing informative deliberations.

Recognising the significant global trends in governance, the 2018 workshop was designed as a peer learning event and to enable participants to consider new trends within the profession that will have direct impact on how our profession operates. 

Importantly, by rigorously working through the FFP approach the delegates clearly articulated the relationship between ‘international and ‘national’ land governance priorities and ensuring it remained in the country context, they were able to gain a clear appreciation of the dimensions and dynamics between the governance levels of professional leadership; applying this to the Nigerian context of federal and state jurisdictions.

Picture left: Galadima Surv. Ibrahim Jahun 

Underscoring the importance of this topic in Nigeria, Kabir M. M, Diane Dumashie and Winston Ayeni, were honoured to hold a side meeting with the Governor of Kaduna State Mal. Nasir El -Rufa'i where his show of commitment to support the workshop aims and objectives was appreciated.

The delegates concluded that the masterclass created a strong and lasting understanding of the FFP framework; having overviewed the three mutually reinforcing core frameworks (spatial, legal and institutional). Such understanding and discussion will enable them to enhance their own students learning. Importantly the topics discussed has built the confidence to lead strategic change in the land sector, and make a positive impact on the student cohort, of which many attendees have responsibilities to deliver rich and contextual learning.

The workshop also included a technical session delivered by Stephen Calder, GIS/Transport who outlined in detail the ground breaking initiative to provide a fast and efficient service in land registration in Kaduna State. This was followed by a very interesting technical tour to the land registration offices known as KADGIS. Crucially organised to use technology to ‘fit the purpose’

SG of Kaduna State, Surv. Mohammed U. Sokula, SG of Yobe Surv. A.B. Shehu and SG of Sokoto State,  Surv. H. A. Abubakar
Surveyor Generals discussion at KADGIS Steve Calder leading discussion at SG Kaduna State, Surv Mohammed U. Sokulas office

The final session sought to concentrate upon the administrative and educational needs of the profession as this relates to SURCON and maintaining standards in training institutions, accordingly, a roundtable was Chaired by Dr. Chigbu Njike.

After a stimulating 2 days packed with new information, the workshop closed with a Vote of thanks: Surv. F.O. Osalusi Chairman, Education Committee SURCON

Diane Dumashie
17 March 2018