… Police working with relevant agencies to uncover cause of collapse – Anambra PPRO
To address cases of building collapse in parts of the country, a former President of the Nigeria Institute of Building, NIOB, Bldr. Kenneth Nduka has called for the faithful implementation of provisions of the national building code by all involved in the project team.
Aside interfacing with relevant bodies on how best to attract values (safety and quality) in building delivery process, the former NIOB President also called for increased advocacy and enlightenment to help people understand what to do to get their jobs done; with safety and quality guaranteed.
Speaking when stakeholders of the institute and its regulatory body, Council of Registered Buildings of Nigeria, CORBON, visited the scene of the one-storey collapsed building that killed three persons in Nnewi, Bldr. Nduka, who expressed sadness over the avoidable loss of lives and resources, regretted that people still have wrong information about builders, building and project delivery.
He explained that in building as an enterprise, anybody can be engaged as a contractor, but must engage a professional builder; who is trained to be on site managing construction process and transforming construction ideas into physical reality, with out which the person (contractor) is engaging in quackery.
He expressed doubt that the collapsed building enjoyed professional builder’s attention and effective supervision, just as he said that the construction work was procured, conveyed and delivered in most unfortunate way.
On his part, the Anambra State chapter Chairman of NIOB, Bldr. Kingsley Nweke said synergy among the seven construction professionals and recognizing each others’ professional ethics and roles are needed to address quackery in the building environment, thereby putting and end to building collapse in the state.
He identified “internal and external quackery” as existing challenges in the built sector, and explained that internal quackery is when, for example, an Architect does the whole job of the seven construction professionals in the building process up till the building proper, while external quackery is when someone who is not trained in construction profession executes building project, suspecting the latter to be the case in the Nnewi incident; given the result of their analysis.
The Anambra NIOB Chairman also called for the inclusion of “Building Production Management Document” (builders document) in physical planning, saying that unlike other states, Anambra is yet to do so.
Contributing, the Chairman, Builders in Private Practice, NIOB, Anambra State chapter, Bldr. Chijioke Okeke called for all states to join efforts in curtailing building collapse by domesticating national building code, insisting that construction proper (putting into physical existence; designs and inputs from the seven building construction professionals) is the business of a professional builder.
He also called for the introduction of what he called “Builder – developer undertaking”, which he said will ensure that there is a resident registered builder in every building construction site.
For the Public Relations Officer, NIOB Anambra State chapter, Bldr. Paul Arinze, Builder’s day celebration on 13th March every year helps to create awareness on the role of builders, calling for more partnership with the media in enlightening the public.
Deputy Chairman of Nnewi Local Government Area, Mrs Chinelo Iloka, and the Secretary, Mr. Emeka Okafor were on ground to receive the NIOB team at the Nnewi building collapse site.
Meanwhile, the Anambra State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Tochukwu Ikenga said Police has taken over the scene of the collapsed building, and is working with relevant agencies to uncover what caused the collapse in order to take necessary actions.
Credit: Joseph Egbeocha
