housing and construction expert, Mr Abdulfatai Efty, has urged the FCT Development Control to evolve a realistic and practical system to properly monitor construction sites and enforce building codes.
Efty, a board member of the Chicago Association of Realtors, U.S., made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja.
NAN reports that a four-storey building located at Jabi, Abuja collapsed at about 1.30 p.m on Friday, Aug. 17 killing one person and injured six others.
He called for a well structured and regulated industry where licensed professionals as practitioners were very critical to the development of the nation.
He said that situations where artisans were left to supervise building construction sites at the expense of professional builders all in the name of saving cost should be stopped.
“Until we appreciate the importance of professionalizing and regulating the various sector of our real estate industry and stop our desire for cheap labour and cutting corners, we have a lot of work on our hands.
“A lack of proper building codes and site supervision is just calling for nothing but a continued re-occurrence of building collapse and lost of innocent lives.
“Nigeria has what it takes to achieve all these and more but the biggest missing link is the political will. When are we as a nation going to learn a lesson?
NAN gathered that the four-storey building had been there for over 15 years before construction work began on the site only three months ago.
Efty, however, called for strict adherence towards the implementation of the national building codes in the country.
He asked, “Who gave the approval for the continuation of construction on a building that has been abandoned for 15 years?
“Abuja Development Control must evolve a realistic and practical system where all construction sites are properly monitored and building codes enforced.
“Until people start going to jail, this penny wise pound foolish attitude will not stop” he added.
Also, a University Lecturer and Building Expert, Dr Ibrahim Inuwa urged the government to carry out comprehensive assessment on the collapsed building to forestall future reoccurrence.
Inuwa, Senior Lecturer, Department of Quantity Surveying, Abubakar Tafawa Bello University, Bauchi, added that most time the cause could be due to quackery or unethical professional practice. (NAN)
