Facility managers seek legislative backing

A board member of IFMA, Mr Collins Osayamwen recently in Abuja said plans are underway for the association to approach the presidency for a possibility of presenting the bill as an executive bill since the procurement process in most organizations is weak.It is hoped that the law will tackle the lack of regular turn around […]

A board member of IFMA, Mr Collins Osayamwen recently in Abuja said plans are underway for the association to approach the presidency for a possibility of presenting the bill as an executive bill since the procurement process in most organizations is weak.
It is hoped that the law will tackle the lack of regular turn around maintenance of public facilities in Nigeria, he said.
“We need to conduct a proper research, do our homework very well, which is currently ongoing, and ensure that we get the right processes in place and present it [the bill] to the executive to ensure that they present it to the National Assembly as an executive bill.
“We’re calling on government to see how we can see this bill passed so that we can as a profession have a voice. The only way we can have a voice is to have the legislation,” Osayamwen said.
He noted that since there appears to be little awareness of the essence of facility management in the country, the association is considering using the Abuja  National Stadium as a pilot project of facility management.
He said, “What we’re asking for is opportunity to continue to showcase the proposition of facility management.
“If we can get a public facility to demonstrate what facility management can do for a country, it will go a long way to achieving what we have been looking forward to.
“For instance, the challenge we have given ourselves is give us the National Stadium and see what we can turn it to.”
Osayamwen said the maintenance of the Abuja stadium if given to them through a Public Private Partnership as facility manager will reduce cost.