The House of Representatives has garnered praise from stakeholders within the building sector for introducing a bill aimed at establishing the Nigerian Institute of Facilities Management.
This legislative move seeks to promote the responsible care, maintenance, and management of building facilities within both the public and private sectors.
The bill, sponsored by Hon Philip Agbese, member representing Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo Federal Constituency of Benue State, would also train professionals in the field of facility management. These experts will be instrumental in ensuring that facilities are maintained to preserve their value and functionality over time, preventing their deterioration.
Paul Erubami, President of the Associations of Facilities Management Practitioners of Nigeria (AFMPN), while addressing the media during a visit to the National Assembly in Abuja on Friday, lauded the bill for its potential to address issues related to building collapse and the loss of property value, explaining the critical role of facility management in national infrastructure development and stating that the bill will embed the concept of facility management into the process.
Erubami explained that the AFMPN is responsible for training, equipping and capacity building for facilities managers across the country, and that they want this to be incorporated into the public and private sector of the Nigerian leadership and public administration.
“The bill would ensure that the facilities are planned, designed and delivered with the principles of facility management embedded in them, so that they can last and serve their intended purposes”, he said.
He further clarified the distinction between the Land Use Act and the Facilities Management Bill, stating that while the former pertains to land ownership and transfer, the later focuses on the maintenance, care, and management of the buildings or infrastructure situated on the land.
“The bill is more about the professional and systematic management of the facilities to ensure that they retain and increase their value and quality over time, and that the users continue to benefit from them.
“The bill would fill the gap that exists after the facilities are built and commissioned by providing professional guidance and support for their sustainable operation and management”.
Agbese, who is the Deputy Spokesperson of the House and sponsor of the bill, while receiving the stakeholders in his office, reaffirmed the 10th Assembly’s commitment to enacting laws that enhance the lives of Nigerians, stating that housing is a matter that impacts everyone. He stressed that the bill’s benefits extend not only to stakeholders but also to lawmakers, the entire Nigerian population, and himself.
Agbese pointed out that every individual lives or works in a building and nobody desires to see their building collapse or deteriorate, noting that the bill aims to ensure the quality and safety of buildings for all Nigerians, regardless of age, wealth, or status.
The legislator urged stakeholders to pray for the success of the 10th Assembly as they continue to craft laws that have a direct and positive impact on the country’s citizens.
Stakeholders, led by the President of the Institute of Global Facilities Management, Omachi Jonah, include representatives from various professional bodies and associations within the building sector. These organizations include the Associations of Facilities Management Practitioners of Nigeria, the Nigerian Institute of Estate Surveyors and Valuers, the Nigerian Institute of Facilities Engineering and Management, the Nigerian Institution of Builders in Facilities Management, and the Institute of Global Facilities Management.
