By OLATUNDE AJAYI

The Chairman, Nigerian Institution of Surveyors (NIS), Oyo State branch, Mr Lamidi Waheed, has said many Nigerians had been scammed in their quests for cheap services through backdated survey plans.

Waheed told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan on Saturday that such a so-called backdated survey plan would not be registered in the Office of the Oyo State Surveyor-General.

?There is nothing like a backdated survey plan, and backdating of survey plans is wrong.

?Backdating forces landowners to falsify the information on other property documents to achieve uniformity of dates on all documents,? he said.

The chairman says only a registered surveyor can ascertain a land?s status, whether it falls under government acquisition or has already been purchased by someone, which can lead to land disputes.

He said that a registered professional surveyor could be easily identified by a unique registration number and professional seal from NIS.

?It is always advisable to involve professionals in land documentation to forestall losing a large amount of money in the process of avoiding token professional fees,? he said.

The Public Relations Officer of NIS in Oyo State, Mr Stephen Mustapha, reiterated that many artisans in land businesses now parade themselves as registered surveyors.

He noted that survey plans issued by quacks would jump proper survey plan lodgment procedure in the surveyor-general?s office, which means such a land lacked a government record copy.

According to the institution?s spokesman, there are close to 400 registered surveyors in Oyo NIS with unique practicing numbers and seals with traceable addresses.

He added that NIS regulates activities of its members through regular training, seminars and strict enforcement of the law and professional ethics. (NAN)