The President of Council for the Regulation of Engineers in Nigeria, COREN,
Engineer Ali Alimasuya Rabiu, has identified non domestication of the national building code, use of non professionals who have no capacity in projects, non-verification of building design, use of sub-standard materials, disparity between the design and construction in Nigeria, as some of the causes of building collapse in Nigeria.
Engineer Rabiu, who spoke at a meeting in Abuja said development control officers contribute largely to the collapse of buildings in Nigeria and should be held accountable for most of the collapses.
He made recommendations on how best to curb building collapse to the barest minimum in Nigeria, saying that there is need for an Act on enforcement and compliance to the approved National Building Code by the National Assembly.
On behalf of other professional bodies that participated in the meeting, Engineer Rabiu said government should set up a construction court to handle cases of misconduct, while state governments must domesticate the codes, which the forum of regulatory bodies in the building industry would drive.
They also advocated synergy among professionals in the building industry, government and regulatory bodies, as well as introduction of functionality tests for buildings from two storey buildings upwards.
The Nigerian National Assembly had in 2006, promulgated the National Building Code aimed at providing the minimum standards necessary to safeguard life and property, guarantee public health and welfare by effectively regulating the process of design, approval, construction, use and occupancy, creation and maintenance of all buildings and structures.
In spite the National Building Code, 2006, which lays down minimum provisions buildings need in order to ensure public safety, reports show about four hundred deaths and over one hundred injuries owing to building collapse from 2013.
Non legislation and enforcement of the building code by the National Assembly some regulatory and professional bodies in the building environment are counted as one of the reasons for the incessant building collapse in Nigeria.
Comments are closed for this post.