To mitigate challenges in the industry, the Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB) has urged the Federal and state governments to implement building control laws and regulations in all construction sites.
The immediate past Vice-Chairman, Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria (CORBON), Dr. Samson Opaluwah, gave the charge at the 30th yearly conference and general meeting of the NIOB, Lagos chapter.
The conference, which discussed, “Building control regulations & the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Lagos State: Re-invigorating Processes, Optimising Results,’’ attracted NIOB immediate past president, Mr. Kunle Awobodu, Permanent Secretary, Office of Works in Lagos State, Adebayo Odusanya, the institute’s second Vice President, Bimbo Kolade, the principal, Federal Building Craft Training School, Yaba, Adebayo Owojori and Chairman, Nigerian Institute of Architects (NIA) Lagos chapter, Femi Majekodunmi.
Opaluwah emphasised that regulations and laws without enforcement will yield no tangible result, adding that there is a need to stop or minimise building collapse by enforcing regulations, ensuring professionalism and international best practice on building sites.
Addressing the gathering, the General Manager, Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), Mr. Gbolahan Oki, called for public policing of construction by reporting building infractions.
He said in advanced economies, residents monitored public conduct by reporting infractions to the relevant authorities to nip corruption and other illegalities in the bud.
Oki, an architect stated that timely interventions would stop illegalities during building production and prevent future building collapses.
The GM called for the collaboration of building professionals and other construction experts, to ensure synergy for efficiency, quality and job creation in the building production management value chain in the state.
According to him, LASBCA would soon begin to arrest artisans on construction sites without registered builders’ supervision to tame illegal practices.
The chairman of, NIOB Lagos chapter, Mr. Sunday Wusu, said there was a need to educate all stakeholders on building control regulations and evaluating the processes to eliminate inadequacies as well as ensure monitoring.
The Chairman, local organising committee of the conference, Lucky Isename, said the meeting is to engage principal stakeholders responsible for the implementation of Lagos State building control regulations and evaluate the level of implementation as well as highlight the negative impact non-implementation of the regulation would have on sustainable development goals.
The NIOB President, Prof. Yohana Izam, represented by Kolade, urged builders to ensure the right professionals to operate in the industry and cooperate with government officials in the area of control and enforcement.
He charged practitioners not to encourage developers and investors in real estate to cut corners during building construction.