Building Collapse: NIOB Urge Govt to Implement Physical Planning Laws

Fadekemi Ajakaiye

The Nigerian Institute of Building, NIOB has called on the government to implement its physical planning laws in order to curtail building collapse in the country.

The institute stated this at the press briefing held at their Secretariat in Lagos, recently.

With reference to the 21-storey building that collapsed in Lagos recently, as well as other ones occurring across the nation, NIoB called for the implementation of strict laws to guide against recurrence.

The Nigerian Institute of Building has also appealed to the Lagos State government to strictly implement its existing physical planning laws to curtail illicit construction and avert building collapse.

NIoB, Lagos Chapter Chairman, Mr. Lucky Isename, stated some of the causes of building collapse as ground vibration, poor workmanship, poor procure processes, lack of supervision or management of the construction process and so on.

“We need to state categorically that the laws regulating the construction sector viz a viz roles of relevant professionals, minimum requirement for the standard of materials, stage certification process, must all be fulfilled before the commencement of construction,” he said.

“To eliminate building collapse, professionals in the built environment should be engaged in all projects as stipulated in the regulations; make compulsory the use of builders’ document at all stages of construction and registered builders should be engaged in the management of building production,” he said.

He stated that the Institute is calling for the engagement of only qualified builders and other certified built environment professionals in all projects to guarantee quality assurance and prevention of collapses.

“The Lagos State government has set up a 5-man panel of enquiry on the recent collapse in order to be able to ascertain the cause(s) of the collapse and give recommendations, we at NIoB await the outcome,” he said.

Former Commissioner for Special Duties in Ogun State, Mr Akogun Onadipe, stated the annoyance of the Institute on such menace, coupled with the loss of lives involved. He stated that the government was not doing anything to regulate its own policies. It is essential for any real estate company to have a registered builder in its operational system or be prosecuted. Also, these regulations must be revised and a thorough investigation of high-rise buildings done to ensure it followed due process.

Onadipe stated that the role of the Institute was to advocate, and they have been doing that. “Unfortunately, the provisions of the laws to always have builders on every site has been neglected, now we have the use of direct labour in constructions, this should be investigated and given commensurate sanctions,” he said.

The immediate past Chairman, NIoB, Lagos Chapter, Mr Sunday Wusu, called for the immediate inclusion of the private sector in the enforcement and implementation of the state’s building laws for efficiency.

Wusu stated that junior level members of staff of the of the state government regulatory agencies are easily intimidated by highly placed individuals in the society, which prevents them from carrying out their duties effectively and hence, the need for private engagement to balance the team and enforce the use of quality materials .

He stated that NIoB has been advocating for private inspectors to be allocated in all the local government. “Having them registered in the local government where they are domiciled or residents will enable them to effectively monitor construction closely within their jurisdiction,” he said.

The Legal officer, NIoB, Mr Bayo Owojori, enjoined the government to adopt measures against negligence of its personnel. He urged the state government to enforce its existing laws and regulations to curb the repeat of the unpleasant incident.

NIoB commiserate with the families and friends of those involved in the tragedy and also sympathise with the government and people of Lagos state, while thanking all while sympathising with families of the victims and the state government, said the state had excellent laws lacking adequate implementation.