Building Collapse: House Direct Works Ministry to Implement National Building Code

The House of Representatives on Thursday directed the Ministry of Works and Housing to implement the National Building Code in order to regulate construction, as part of effort to curb the rising incidences of building collapse in the country.

The House also directed the ministry to liaise with the Building Collapse Prevention Guild to carry out assessment of buildings prone to collapse in order to alert residents and avert impending loss of lives and property.

The directive by the House was sequel to the adoption of a motion moved by Hon. Wale Raji at the plenary yesterday.

He noted that the incidences of building collapse across the country have reached an alarming proportion, with on less than 60 cases within the last four years, according to a report by the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, resulting in tragic loss of lives and destruction of properties.

The lawmaker observed that the frequent cases of building collapse could be attributed to negligence on the part of contractors, client and professionals, faulty designs; lack of professional supervision and adherence to the building code; lack of effectiveness of government agencies responsible for the monitoring of building procurement and construction processes; quackery at pre and post-contract stages and the use of substandard materials among others.

 

Raji recalled the collapse of a two storey building in Surulere, Lagos State, on October 25, 2019, in which five persons were rescued and an earlier incident in Magodo area of the state on October 12, 2019, which claimed the lives of a mother and her three children, leaving at least six others injured.

He equally recalled the collapse of a three storey building that was housing a primary school at Ita Faji area of Lagos Island on March 13, 2019, causing the death of 16 persons and a seven storey building under construction collapsed in Port Harcourt on November 23, 2018, causing the death of 13 persons.

 

The lawmaker also stated that on December 10, 2016, the roof of Reigners Bible Church International in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State,  caved in during a service programme killing about 200 persons, and on September 12, 2014, a six storey building belonging to the Synagogue Church of All Nations, Lagos, collapsed, killing 116 person.

He also expressed worry about  the report of the Building Collapse Prevention Guild, an umbrella body of all construction professionals in the country, that there are thousands of other buildings across the country waiting to collapse due to mass urbanisation and lack of targeted intervention by government at all levels.

Raji  further stressed the urgent  need  to address the menace of building collapse and sub-standard construction prevalent in the country to avert losses both in human lives and property occasioned by the avoidable malaise.

The House therefore urged the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), the Architects Registration Council of Nigeria (ARCON) and other professional bodies to investigate and penalise their members involved in cases of building collapse.

"We urge the Ministry of Works and Housing to implement the National Building Code in order to regulate construction in the country and safeguard lives and property of the citizens.

"The House also urge the Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON) to sanitise the building materials sector to get rid of sub-standard goods in the markets," he said.

The House further urged the Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB) and the Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE) to ensure proper supervision of workmen and to further carry out sensitisation campaigns to enlighten the public on the need to use quality materials and professionals in construction of buildings.