Architects call for sanction to curb building collapse
The Nigerian Institute of Architects (NIA) has called for stringent sanctions against those found wanting in any cases of building collapse.
The institute stated this at a press briefing ahead of its 28th edition of Archibuilt.
Speaking at the briefing, Director, Archibuilt Development Services Limited (ADSL), Umaru Karaye said poor building designs, unqualified contractors as well as use of substandard building materials are major causes of building collapse.
Karaye said as a measure to curb building collapse, the institute has decided to deny producers of substandard building materials access to exhibit their products during the 2017 A\archibuilt exhibition.
He decried situations where reports of investigations conducted on collapsed building are not made public.
He said, “You need to have a stringent sanction when you find the culprit. It is very important but in most cases, when you hear of building collapses, after some days everybody forgets and nothing happens. We don’t get to know the outcome of investigations, actions taken thereafter and then another incident happens.
“All these years we have been hearing, we hardly hear the outcome of the investigations and sanctions. These are issues.”
He added that, “Design, materials used, method of the construction and capacity of the contractor, supervisory roles of the professionals as well as maintenance of the building are major issues to check during incident of building collapse.
“There is need to find out if it is design, materials used, method of the construction, capacity of the contractor, the the supervisory roles of the professionals. So it could be any of these. It is only when you do that that you find out the appropriate causes and that is when you can take the right action.
“In most of the building that have so far collapsed and the professionals involved were probed, you realize that they are not actively involved in the supervision because the owner may want to cut corners or reduce the cost of construction.”