BY PEACE ONYEUKWU

WORRIED by the increasing occurrence of building collapse in different parts of the country especially in Lagos state, built environment experts under the aegis of the Building Collapse Prevention Guild, have called on the three tiers of government and stakeholders in the sector to collaborate in a concerted effort to stem this ugly trend.

The experts who brainstormed on practical ways of ending buildings collapse in the country at a one- day mandatory continuing professional development conference put together by the Amuwo Odofin chapter of the Guild, decried the practice whereby developers fail to heed approved standards.   President of the Guild, Mr Kunle Awobodu, a builder, explained that when it comes to building collapse,  everybody is a stakeholder because both the developers, professionals and the general public, could be victims of building collapse.

Describing the activities of quack in the sector as a huge threat, Awobodu, regretted that in Nigeria, we still find people who are not professional developers who refuse to adhere to building codes, and statutes  of practice. Explaining that every building or land development requires approval., he regretted that many Nigerians do not obtain buildings plan approval through a professional. “They just go to site and start construction, no documentation, and no building plan approval. This contravenes the building law Edit 210  of Lagos state.

Secondly, the use of sub-standard materials for construction also leads to building collapse. Every building operation is procedural, if you don’t follow the right procedure you will have challenges,” he said.

Enforcement
Stating that enforcement is very important in tackling the issue of building collapse in Nigeria, he charged the government and relevant agencies responsible for building construction and development control enforcement, to rise up to the occasion. “ A construction site without building plan permit should be sealed off. Any building with a plan permit shows it has gone through a basic legal process that will not allow for quackery,” he clarified.

Awobodu posited that although the process of acquiring a building plan permit can be cumbersome, the entire process ensure that things are done right according to approved standard.

He encouraged government to be friendlier in terms of processing of building plan approvals through addressing the issue of double taxation. This will prevent people from patronising quacks and taking
laws into their hands.

Government partnership
Advocating government partnership with the Building Collapse Prevention Guild a former Chairman of the Lagos State chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners, Mrs Catherine Kheinde George, called on the government and relevant agencies to synergise with voluntary organisations like the Building Collapse Prevention Guild.

Mrs George who is the chairperson of the Lagos state chapter of the Guild premised her call on the fact the the Guild is populated by practitioners with several years of experience in the built environment. “A synergy between the association and government agencies, would go a long way to checkmate the activities of quacks in the sector,” she said, adding that there is need for governments to enforce their own laws through their agencies to curtail violations.

Mrs George  who is Nigeria’s first female town planner, said the conference was arranged to provide a platform for professionals in the sector to examine among others, the best methods to tackle building collapse and the attendant risks.