The Kwara State Chairman, Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors, Chief Sunday Olosunda, has decried the lack of patronage of resident quantity surveyors by the state governments.

Olosunda alleged that some state governments preferred quantity surveyors from urban cities such as Abuja, Lagos and Port Harcourt to handle jobs in their states, while neglecting professionals resident in such states.

He spoke in Ilorin on Thursday during a two-day national training workshop organised by the state's chapter of the NIQS and Cosines Nigeria Limited.

The workshop had as its theme: ‘Application of Work Mate 5.0 (bill maker) with WM CAD 2010 version for preparing bill of quantities.'

Olosunda, who is also the Managing Consultant and Chief Executive Officer, Lupar Associates, Quantity Surveyors and Cost Consultants, reasoned that all members of the institute were competent to handle the jobs irrespective of their places of location.

He, therefore, called on the affected state governments to give priority to the resident quantity surveyors so as to reduce urban drift, capital flight, unemployment and lack of development.

The NIQS chairman, however, commended the Federal Government for patronising indigenous quantity surveyors.

Olosunda said, "Most of the jobs done in Nigeria now are contracted to indigenous quantity surveyors and not foreigners.  More than 80 per cent are given to indigenous surveyors by the Federal Government. But quantity surveying jobs in some states may not be given to quantity surveyors resident in the states.

"That is what we are crying out for, particularly in Kwara State. The level of patronage of resident quantity surveyors is not appreciable. They are not seriously patronised by the Kwara State Government and other state governments.

"Consultancy jobs are given more to firms from Abuja, Lagos or Port Harcourt to the detriment of the resident professionals. But the indigenous quantity surveyors are very qualified to handle such jobs.

"Another challenge is that there are not enough jobs and the few jobs are not given to resident professionals.  When you are trained and you are qualified, and you are not patronised by the state where you reside, it is a huge challenge."

The Executive Director, Cosiness Nigeria Limited, Mr. Henry Oforeh, said quantity surveyors in the country were competent, resilient and more dynamic than their counterparts in some African countries, including South Africa.