Buildings Maintenance: NIA President Lauds Buhari For Signing Executive Order 11
• Says Neglect of construction principles causes building collapse
• Advocates revitalization of technical education in Nigeria
President of the Nigerian Institute of Architects, Arc. Enyi Ben-Eboh on Thursday lauded President Muhammadu Buhari for effecting the national public buildings maintenance in the Executive Order 11 signed into law.
Ebo, while speaking during an exclusive interview with Africa Housing News Reporters in Abuja, described the order as one which cannot be forgotten in a hurry, adding that the new law will help public institution to make a conscious effort to maintain their buildings.
He condemned the attitude of Nigerians who often overlook the post-construction phase of building projects, thereby posing great threats to the society.
“After putting in so much investment in any structure, you don’t allow it just waste and become a hazard to everybody.
Building failure isn’t just when a building collapses; it’s also when a building doesn’t fulfill the purpose for which it’s meant and it becomes a safety hazard to the occupant or environment”, he said.
Ebo, who attributed the cause of building collapse to neglect of construction principles said the recent prevalent trend of building collapse in the country isn’t as a result of outdated structures but a practical negligence on the part of the involvers during construction processes.
He said, “buildings like human beings have a cycle. You born, you have a useful lifespan, and of course, you start deteriorating until you eventually give up the ghost. So, buildings also go through the same phases.
There are principles that govern the design of a building. When you want to design a building, first, you must reach out to the best professionals. In the case of most buildings, of course, the architect is the one you’ll professionally reach out to. The architect will design your building based on what is approvable in that area. He also liaises with other professionals like the structural engineer, mechanical engineer, surveyor, electrical engineer and others and ensure that they bring in their various inputs to guarantee that the building isn’t only functional but also fit for purpose.”
The NIA Boss noted that builders and developers must be conversant of the soil bearing capacity of construction sites, putting into consideration the anticipated load, as well as testing all materials deployed to the sites before they are used, as a precautionary measure to curb building collapse.
Ebo said the institute has always stressed the need for all construction sites to have registered professionals in the right field to supervise construction projects.
He continued by saying, “all these complex intricacies will only be understood by somebody who is well groomed in that aspect. So, if somebody on the street just decide to do whatever he likes, you may discover even when you used the right materials and you didn’t use them properly, it could still lead to a collapse.
He noted that as an institute, it will always advocate that proper emphasis is laid on technical education, adding that it is the best way to go in strengthening the technical base of the built and construction industry.
He urged professionals and statutory bodies like the national board for technical education to start making technical education more attractive and begin to find a future for youths who delve into the line.
