Surveyors have advocated for the establishment of technical schools for the training of artisans.
The call was made at a press briefing to herald the 40th anniversary of Diya, Fatimilehin & Co and the unveiling of its new logo.
The Founding Partner, Diya, Fatimilehin & Co, Gboyega Fatimilehin, decried the dominance of the building industry by foreign artisans, as their local counterparts were not properly trained.
According to him, the government needs to establish training schools that would bridge this training gap for local artisans.
He said, “Around Lagos alone, we import about 1.5 million skilled labour, who are not Nigerians, because we do not train, neither do we have a technical school. The imported labour force understands this gap in the country and leverages it by taking a substantial part of our money back to their country. There was a time the imported labour force was taking about $4.5bn to their country annually.
“It is essential to note that we can retain this money by being innovative about it. And there is hardly any state that cannot have a technical school that can be developed. However, the Federal Government cannot do it alone. Hence, it can give counterpart funding for this purpose to states, as this would help each state produce a skilled workforce for the construction industry and help the country save money.”
In the same vein, the Strategic Adviser, Diya, Fatimilehin & Co, Lanre Olutimilehin, said more formal training of artisans was needed to them to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving market and to stay up-to-date with emerging trends and technologies.
He advised, “It is crucial we avoid going overboard. While the technical training is good, we can make it modular, because these artisans have to work and the training costs money. Some of these artisans have experience already; all they need is perfection in their skill. In addition, we need to certify them and make sure the certification process is not too rigid.
“Overall, this would lead to an improvement in the quality of services offered by artisans, resulting in greater customer satisfaction and increased profitability for their businesses.”
Olutimilehin further noted that the artisans should not only be trained but should also be held to a minimum level of conduct by adhering to laid down codes of conduct fostering accountability.
Speaking on the new identity of the company, Fatimilehin noted that the market had evolved, hence the firm’s identity should also evolve.
He said, “On the cusp of our fourth decade in business, we realised that while our history is rich with organisational and industry transformations, our visual identity has not changed over the past four decades. As we move toward our fifth decade, we are seizing the opportunity to exhibit a stronger, more urgent capacity to evolve, and add vitality to our relationships.
“Today, we announce a refresh of our identity and launch a new logo. Trust is a major currency in our industry, and this is a central of Diya, Fatimilehin & Co, as we bring trusted, reliable, and strategic partners, providing best-in-class, end-to-end strategies, and solutions through a modern platform.”
