The Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute (NBRRI) has called for proper sanctions for builders who flout building laws and regulations in order to tackle the increasing building collapse in the country.
The Director-General of NBRRI, Prof. Samson Duna, who made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Thursday, in Abuja, emphasised the need for government to legislate proper sanctions for erring builders.
Duna urged the building regulating authorities to enforce the laws and regulations guiding building construction to avert and forestall future occurrence.
According to him, many builders bypass the regulatory bodies for building approvals to embark on projects that often end in defective designs, drawings, constructions and an eventual building collapse.
He called for proper investigation and sanction of builders, who flout building laws and regulations to guarantee the safety and integrity of lives and construction practices.
“The absence of building or planning permit is illegal in a construction work without approved drawings from the approving authorities.
“When developers bypass the appropriate bodies for approval, defective designs and drawings are not vetted, and are initiated into construction.
“The result is a shoddy performance which can lead to building collapse,” NBRRI boss said.
He also said many contractors failed to carry out project specifications designed by architects and engineers in a bid to maximise profit.
According to him, non-adherence to these specifications can be major contributor to structural failures of buildings.
Duna urged Building Development Boards as well as professional bodies in the states to ensure that only professionals are engaged in the building and construction procedures.
“The person responsible for approving the drawings might not be a structural engineer.
“The entire state might not have up to two or three structural engineers.
“But the most important thing is that a legislation that will recommend punishable measures for culprits should be in place.
“That is why we call on the professional bodies from time to time to monitor and not compromise standards when on site and there should also be renewal of licenses of construction workers every three to five years,” he said.
Duna said there was the need for construction workers and engineers who had graduated from school about 20 to 30 years ago to update themselves with the modern and appropriate standards. “Nurses renew their license every three years, doctors also renew.
“We need to extend that to the construction industry in order to put an end to building collapse in the country.
“If your license is not renewed, that means you cannot practice,” he said.
The director-general sympathised with the families of those who lost their loved ones at the recent building collapse in Jos and Abuja.
He said building collapse can be avoided in the country, if all hands are on deck with proper follow up from the designs, planning, materials to the finishing of the building. (NAN)
