Building collapse major problem in construction industry -NIOB

The newly elected national president of the Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB), Mr. Kunle Awobodu, has said that the major challenge faced by the construction industry in the country is building collapse. Awobodu said this in Port Harcourt while delivering his acceptance speech. He said the menace of building collapse has created grievous competency doubts […]

The newly elected national president of the Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB), Mr. Kunle Awobodu, has said that the major challenge faced by the construction industry in the country is building collapse.

Awobodu said this in Port Harcourt while delivering his acceptance speech.

He said the menace of building collapse has created grievous competency doubts on the Nigerian building practitioners and their artisans in the international community.

But then, he said, that was a man-made problem that could be overcome if there was genuine interest to right the wrong.

“About 10 years ago, when I was the chairman of the NIOB in Lagos State, the frequency of building collapse in the state made the then Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN, set up a technical committee to reform the Physical Planning and Development Law of the state.

“The committee developed a bill that was passed by the Lagos State House of Assembly and assented to by the Governor in 2010, becoming the new Lagos State Urban and Regional Planning and Development Law,” he said.

Awobodu said “promulgating the law was one hurdle crossed, but the implementation becomes a bigger hurdle.”

According to him, compromise and corruption remained the bane in the fight against building collapse.

He, however, noted that NIOB must sustain the efforts to ensure that buildings that are being constructed in Nigeria meet the required standard.

He said if builders are complaining about the Nigerian construction sphere been replete with quackery,  NIOB should proffer the competency that will encourage developers and clients generally to patronise trained builders.

In view of this, he said, “self development and professional competency drive will be salient in the programme of this new NIOB administration.”

Awobodu said the institute would embark on international collaborations in order to equip members with latest construction technology and improved construction methodology.