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GBENGA OLARINOYE, Ilorin
Following incessant cases of building collapses in the country, Kwara State Government is set to initiate the creation of a functioning building control agency that will inspect, approve and certify every stage of building construction in the state.
Gov. AbdulRahaman AbdulRasaq disclosed this on Wednesday in Ilorin at a one-day symposium organized by the Kwara State Ministry of Housing and Urban Development with the theme: “Building Control in Kwara State: A synergy between Government and Stakeholders.
The Governor who was represented by the State Commissioner for Communication, Hon. George Towoju, said the agency would be created through the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development.
Towoju said the agency is expected to sanitise the building sector and encourage sustainable housing development in the state.
According to him, our primary effort on building control is to ensure that houses will now be designed in such a manner that public safety and contemporary urban design cannot be compromised.
“Therefore, part of the key roles of the stakeholders in this move, particularly the professional bodies is to determine the standard of educational qualification of their members and regulate their activities in the building and construction industry.
“There are growing concerns among the professionals and stakeholders in the building environment over the spate of buildings collapsing in the country”, Towoju said.
He stated that the issue of a building collapse on several occasions led to unnecessary loss of lives and properties, thus becoming an issue of major concern since it poses threat to the nation’s development.
He said that t’s very important to understand that several cases of building collapse in the country were as a result of the unavailability of building control or poor implementations of the existing one.
He added that it is no longer a story, that the country is counting numbers of structures that were built in unacceptable ways of building every year, due to like of effective building control mechanisms.
He explained that most cases safety measures are not considered in erecting most of the failed structures in the country.
Earlier, in his welcome address, the Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development, Mr. Ibrahim Akaje, commended Gov. AbdulRahaman AbdulRasaq for his passionate interest in the welfare of citizens and by approving this important programme
Akaje noted that the symposium shows that the Ministry is not selfish but ready to share from the wealth of experience of stakeholders with others out there.
He enjoined the participants to take advantage of the symposium and learn new ideas towards World Class Building Techniques to the state.
“I assure the resource person and other consultants willing to partner with us on building-related matters and other stakeholders to the development of Kwara state we shall continue to provide the needful enabling environment under which such partnerships, collaboration, and synergy will thrive”, he said.
The Guest Speaker, Mr Dayo Adeniyi, a UK-based firm, ASQ Development, and training, called for appropriate sanction on those found wanting in cases of building collapse in Nigeria.
He said Nigeria should learn from the experience of the UK in enforcing building codes added that every stakeholder in the building sector has a role to play in ensuring sanity in the sector.
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