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By Rukayat Moisemhe
Stakeholders in the construction sector have called for an enhanced Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) to prevent building collapses and improve regulatory enforcement in the construction sector.
They gave the advice on Thursday in Lagos at the Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce (NBCC) real estate outlook event with the theme: “Stemming the Tide of Building Collapse Incidents: From Rhetoric to Action”.
They include Mr Gbolahan Oki, General Manager, Lagos Building Control Agency (LABSCA), Mr Ray Atelly, President, NBCC; and Mr Kunle Adebajo, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ove Arup and Partners.
Adebajo noted that the incidents of building collapse in the country were becoming more frequent.
He said that the root cause of building collapse was multifaceted with a mishmash of bad choices, including poor building materials, negligence in quality control, greed, poor planning and design.
He added that non-adherence to standards and non-enforcement of regulations also contributed to the frequency of its occurrence.
Adebajo stated that many of the notable building collapse incidents in the country were preventable as they were due to avoidable errors in planning, design, execution and regulation.
He said that with buildings popping up daily, it was difficult for government bodies alone to manage the rate of construction.
“Hence, the need for collaboration to ease this burden.
“Government bodies can partner with private firms to handle the growing number of building inspections and project approvals.
“This partnership ensures that every building is thoroughly vetted for safety, from design to completion by certified professionals only,” he said.
Adebajo added that modalities such as material quality control, strict enforcement of building codes and massive public awareness on the risks of cutting corners and sub-standard practices must be in place.
Oki, on his part, stressed the need for building professionals to maintain the right attitude and dedication to their projects, as against the practice of leaving its management to artisans alone.
The LABSCA general manager called on professionals to join the agency to create a more structured and competent building and construction industry in the state.
Atelly similarly noted that building collapse incidents had been attributed to a number of factors, such as human error, carelessness, subpar construction, and defective designs.
The president of NBCC said other factors were violations of building codes, wilful manipulation of approved building plans and lack of regulatory monitoring.
Atelly noted that in the light of unchecked surge in building collapse incidents and the ensuing loss of lives and properties, there had been a strong argument for a successful advocacy intervention.
“In keeping with its role, the Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce has put together this stakeholders’ Summit to discuss the challenges at hand,” he said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Kamal Tayo Oropo
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