Kunle Awobodu is the President, Nigerian Institute of Builders. In this interview with MAUREEN IHUA-MADUENYI, he talks about issues limiting the successful elimination of building collapse in Nigeria.
[...]
Over the years, some professionals in the Nigerian built environment, disturbed by the consequence of building collapse and having the belief that no problem should defy solution, resolved to find a lasting solution to the building collapse menace. I happen to be one of these resolute professionals. We carried out a deep study of this problem and developed a series of pragmatic approaches in overcoming the hydra-headed problem. A lot of efforts and personal resources were channelled into this cause as a form of social responsibility. When a problem involves loss of lives, one must devote all seriousness to it in order to derive considerable result. When quacks operate freely on building sites, oblivious of the risk and totally engrossed in anticipated benefits, the problem of building collapse will persist.
[...]
Poor workmanship that has long been identified as a major cause of substandard construction or building collapse in Nigeria is being addressed pragmatically by the government through the Nigerian Institute of Building. The Ministry of Housing, Lagos State in conjunction with the institute embarked on master craftsmen project, which involved the training and certification of building artisans across the state. The Federal Government has also through the NIOB and CORBON embarked on nationwide training of building artisans. From January 2018 to March 2019, a total of 16,800 artisans had been trained in masonry and brickwork, carpentry and joinery, welding and fabrication, electrical installation, plumbing and painting as well as decoration.
[...]
The Lagos State Urban and Regional Planning and Development Law 2010 made a provision for the setting up of a committee under the Lagos Building Control Agency. But it is yet to be implemented. Also in that law, the General Manager of LASBCA should be an architect, civil/structural engineer or builder. The essence of this is to ensure that leadership rotates between the building design sector and the building construction sector so that building control could be all encompassing, of design and field experience.
[...]