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NIOB urges states to intensify action against building collapse

Nigerian-Institute-of-Building-NIOB

NIOB

The Nigerian Institute of Building, FCT Chapter, has called on other states to emulate Lagos and Ogun by enacting policies and ensuring effective monitoring of construction processes to curb building collapse.

The institute also urged the Federal Government and National Assembly to facilitate the passage of the National Building Code.

It decried the poor response of states to the call for effective regulation and enforcement of rules towards averting building collapse in the country.

In a statement signed by the Chairman of the chapter, Mr Omale Ameh, the institute expressed concern that despite its decade-long advocacy for the passage of the National Building Code, stakeholders at various levels had not done the needful.

It noted that the masses continued to suffer the consequences of building collapses.

Ameh said, “To be fair, Lagos and the Ogun states come first on the list when you talk of states that are responsive to averting building collapse, based on what they have done and what they are trying to do.

“Some other states are trying to also come on board in that regard. Well, this is my own opinion. Some other states are beginning to see the cost of building collapse when compared to the cost of averting it.”

He added, “The NIOB will not fold its hands; we cannot afford to watch people die as a result of quackery which became possible as a result of ineffective regulation of the Nigerian building and construction industry.

“A point of note is that NIOB is an institution, not a regulatory agency or body of government; as a result, NIOB can’t enforce the law. We have continued to train construction artisans and tradesmen who should be employed by those who want to ensure the structural integrity of their buildings.

“But like I said, it is not part of our mandate to pull down poorly-built buildings or to embark on enforcement or regulatory function, but we can help to identify them and we are very willing to do so as part of corporate social responsibility.”

He added that the institute wanted the regulatory bodies to support its efforts in averting tragedies.

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