By Shafihi AbdulRasheed
The Kwara State Chapter of The Nigerian Institute of Building, NIOB has called on the Kwara state government and the House of Assembly for the domestication of Building Regulations Code in the State.
This call was made during 2021 Annual Builders’ Week, tagged
“SAY NO TO FREQUENT BUILDING COLLAPSE IN OUR NATION”,
held at Kwara state Library Complex, Ilorin, earlier today.
The Chairman, Nigerian Institute of Building, Kwara State Chapter, Bldr. Raphael Omokanye in his address disclosed that, “Frequent building failure is inherent in our nation, and it’s a menace that should not be allowed to continue in a sane society where the rule of law prevails. This prompted our demand for Institutionalization of Building Regulations Code.”
The code according to the OMokanye will ensure that building production on sites is managed by the professional builders, stressing that, the simple approach that has just been adopted by the Lagos state Government in its new Building Regulation should be emulated across Nigeria with commitment and enforcement in line with global best practices.
“The Builders’ Day is aimed at promoting standard building construction that should add value to the dream of prospective homeowners and public sector”, he said.
Omokanye noted that, the year 2021 Builders Day featured induction of graduates of Building Management, inauguration of Building Artisans and Craftsmen, visitation to secondary schools for career talk under the Institute’s Catch Them Young Campaign, as well as buildings condition survey among others.
One of the Guest Speakers, Bldr (Dr) I. A. Jimoh emphasized the significance of National Building Code, which is design to promote good practice in the design, construction and maintenance of building in the interest of health, safety and welfare of people who is to use the building.
Dr. Jimoh submitted that, provisions of the National Building Code will serve as an essential guide and desideratum for the achievement of a properly controlled and professionally supervised building site operations devoid of avoidable collapse.
For his part, Bldr S. O. Gafar, also one of the Guest Speakers stressed that, builders qualification must be by extensive knowledge, training, experience and ability to solve problems related to professional subject matters, while competence must relate to the capability of the professional to identify existing and predictable hazards and to take prompt indemnifying measures to eliminate them.
Gafar however suggested that, commitment to excellent service delivery, establishment of Building Control Unit (BCU) and buildability and maintainability as mechanisms to produce standard and habitable structures in the state.
Other dignitaries at the event include representative of Council of Registered Engineer of Nigeria (COREN), Engineer Ahmad Jatto, representative of the Permanent Secretary, Kwara state Ministry of Works, Amuda Qazeem Alabi, Head, Building Unit of Building Services of Ministry of Works Bldr Femi Ibiyinka, Head ,department of Building Technology Kwara State Polytechnic Bldr Ayo Akano, Head, Department of Building Technology Federal Polytechnic, Offa represented by Bldr Abdulmajeed Opoola, Kwara state Artisan Congress representative Alhaji Saad Alawaye among others.
