Lagos State Governor, Mr. Sanwo-Olu, on Thursday, lamented wanton disregard for Building Code in the country, saying building collapse taking its toll on the nation’s built environment would be half solved if professionals in the industry complied with the code.
Governor Sanwo-Olu expressed this concern while speaking at the 2nd Edition of the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) themed: “Professionalism Across Board In The Built Environment” held in Lagos, saying that it was imperative to build right in order to have buildings that were safe, healthy and preserved for future generations.
According to the governor, it is very crucial at this point in time to enforce building regulations to the latter in order to prevent illegal, haphazard and poorly constructed buildings that are detrimental to the wellbeing of Lagosians, saying that accounted for why the state government was strongly advocating that only professionals should be engaged in building constructions in the state.
”One major challenge we face as a government is citizens’ strict adherence to building codes which often translates to complete disregard to building regulations by homeowners and developers.
“While we realize that shelter is of utmost importance, we constantly advocate that as responsible citizens, there is a need to build right in order to have buildings that are safe, healthy and preserved for future generations.
”It is very crucial at this point in our history to enforce building regulations to the latter so as to prevent illegal, haphazard and poorly constructed buildings that are detrimental to the wellbeing of Lagosians. That is why we are strongly advocating that only professionals should be engaged in building constructions in the state,” he said.
”The question you might want to ask is, who are the professionals that should be engaged in the building construction industry? The answer is not far-fetched, they are: Builders, Architects, Structural /Civil Engineers, Geologists Mechanical and Electrical Engineers.
”I daresay that engaging only these professionals will solve 70 percent of the challenges of building collapse across the state. Therefore, it is now mandatory that all relevant professionals in the built environment are fully engaged in any building construction in the state,’ he added.
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Governor Sanwo-Olu pointed out that since professional bodies played a huge role in the building process, from designs to supervision, construction and management of the entire process, there should be unity and a sense of purpose in the sense that if one got it wrong, there would be a domino effect.
He, therefore, urged all professional bodies to as a matter of urgency register all deserving candidates, saying that such step would promote professionalism and end quackery in the built sector.
”I also want to urge all Professional bodies to as a matter of urgency register all deserving candidates as this would promote professionalism and end quackery in the built sector.
”I urge the leadership of these professional bodies to devise a method to track those who are not their members as well as put in place stringent punitive measures to punish members who are not practising in line with the code of professional conduct of the associations,” Sanwo-Olu said.
LASBCA General Manager, Architect Gbolahan Oki, earlier in his remark, said the engagement was a testament to collective dedication aimed at providing a platform for open dialogue, knowledge sharing and collaboration among all stakeholders in the building and construction sector.
Oki said the gathering at the occasion reflected a shared commitment to excellence and a readiness to work towards common goals.
“Your presence here reflects a shared commitment to excellence and a readiness to work towards common goals.
”The Lagos State Building Control Agency has made significant strides in ensuring adherence to building standards and codes, resulting in a notable decline in building collapses. These positive outcomes are testament to our efforts.
”Nevertheless, we acknowledge that there is always room for improvement. During this engagement, we will introduce new measures by the state government designed to enhance the safety and resilience of our buildings for future generations.
”We aim to engage not only industry professionals but also our community members who are involved in property development, specifically our mothers who specialise in trading and constantly engage the services of developers in handling their building projects,” he stated.
