Experts urge FG, states to create facilities management departments

While marking its 15th year Anniversary and World Facilities Management Day, Global PFI has urged the 8th National Assembly to support the creation and registration of Nigerian Institute of Facilities Management by creating and passing the bill as quickly as possible.

DESPERATE to ensure the cutting of huge annual budgetary allocations to building new infrastructure instead of maintaining current ones, experts have urged States and Federal governments to create agencies or department of facilities management that will help focus resources to operating and managing infrastructures.
   
The experts who spoke at the Global Property and Facilities International Limited (Global PFI) 15th year Anniversary and World Facilities Management Day celebration, challenged other state governments to emulate Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Lagos that have set up similar agencies. They argued that “Nigeria now more than ever before needs to focus on management rather new development due to dwindling revenue.”
   
The event was chaired by Mr. Olu Onakoya, Chairman, Board of Directors of the company, and other experts including past President of COREN, Ibikunle Ogunbayo, guest speaker, Dr. Chris Ogbechie and Femi Adejumo representing, Neil Everitt, of British Institute of Facilities Management (BIFM).
   
Setting tune for the discussion, the managing director, Global PFI, Dr. Muhammed Kassim Balogun said, a cause for concern for facility managers is the lack of regulation and structure in the industry. 
   
“Our industry is developing and becoming a major contributor to the economy however, the lack of recognition in the economic framework is a drawback. Real Estate is valued at about N1.5 trillion, with projected growth rates of more than five per cent. One of the growth sectors of the economy, facilities management is a major component that is yet to be classified and valued as a contributor to GDP,” he said.
    
Adejumo said that the FM Professional Standards have been created with industry stakeholders, experts and professional standards writer and forms a global competence model for the profession.     
   
According to him, the FM Professional Standards clearly define the competences that are necessary to be a competent facilities management practitioner at all career levels, from a support role through to a strategic role.
   
On this year’s World FM day Celebration theme is ‘Building Resilience for the Future’, he urged stakeholders to employ, engage, and empower professional facilities Managers for their businesses and the nation.
   
Balogun disclosed that his company had championed the creation of African Institute of Facilities Management and are currently supporting the creation and registration of Nigerian Institute of Facilities Management, urging the 8thNational Assembly to support their desire by creating and passing the bill for the creation of this institute as quickly as possible.
   
His words: “Our company over the years have been in the forefront of industry development, with pioneering efforts at recognizing and celebrating annual World FM Day in Nigeria since 2009, in 2010, in partnership with others organized the first ever International Conference on Facilities Management in West Africa, in 2013.

“The company, which started as Facilities Management Company (FMC) Nigeria Ltd, has transformed several times from been affiliated to WSP, a global engineering design and environmental services group, leading to the name WSP FMC Nigeria Ltd and in 2012, a merger with an indigenous FM company, Domme Facilities Management, a company that started in 2006, as an MBA project at the Lagos Business School, and was subsequently registered in 2007. On July 1, 2014, our dear company changed her name from WSP FMC Nigeria Limited to Global Property and Facilities International Limited (Global PFI).
   
“Our focus on people development is noteworthy as we run an internship program for potential employees and graduates to expose them to the rudiments of FM. We are focused on Community support and corporate social responsibility with our “adopt a school program”, which has benefited a secondary school in Victoria Island, we are extending the program to another secondary school, Eko Akate Junior Secondary school. We have also instituted an Award for the Best Graduating student at the University of Lagos’s Master’s Degree Programme in Facilities Management.