Ikoyi Building Collapse: Council of Miining Engineers, Geosciences Society Lament Avoidable Mishap

*Seek better response to building devt

James Emejo in Abuja

The Registrar of the Council of Nigerian Mining Engineers and Geoscientists(COMEG), Prof. Zacheus Opafunso, alongside President of the Nigerian Mining and Geosciences society (NMGS) Alabo Charlesye Charles have described the Gerrard Road Building Collapse as an avoidable mishap.

Both professional bodies particularly expressed their condolences to the families of all those who lost their lives because of the collapse of the 21-storey building.
In a statement issued in Abuja Thursday, both however, lauded the swift response of the state government at rescue and Investigation into the cause of the disaster adding that it is commendable as no building is worth the loss of a single life.

They pointed out that Lagos being one of the mega cities in the world is expected to be replete with superstructures noting that having reports of structural collapse of a meagre 21-storey structure sends a wrong signal to investors.

The statement further declared NMGS and COMEG as professional body and regulatory agency respectively, who are the first point of call for any construction project as the geotechnical properties of soils ultimately determines the type of foundation and structures that can be safely placed on any soil.

They said,”As stakeholders in the construction industry, COMEG and NMGS are saddened by the recurrent incidents of building collapse in Nigeria.”
The professional bodies added that while they appreciated the prompt setup of the independent panel by the Lagos State government, they would advise that COMEG and NMGS professionals should be included on the panel.

The argued that the success of any construction project is dependent on the underlying foundation soil adding that soils have a myriad of dynamics which could be at play and affect substructures even when foundation type might be right especially in the case of seismicity, liquefaction among others.
They added that “These dynamics are best studied/investigated by geologists.”

The groups pointed out that in the “advent of disasters such as these, studies of the subsurface in relation to the phenomenon is of importance and these falls strictly in the purview of geologists.

‘’We hereby use this medium to appeal and call the attention of all concerned to the regulation of the COMEG and relevance of NMGS to civil constructions.”
The further expressed hope that the findings and lessons learnt from the sad exercise would assist government to formulate a better response to building development and ensure that civil projects serve their full design life in continuous safety’’.

Established through the Act No.40 of 1990, COMEG is the regulatory body for all professionals and firms in the geosciences, mining engineering and metallurgy.
The NMGS, on the other hand, is the professional body of all feologists and mining engineers.