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From Isaac Anumihe, Abuja
President of Nigerian Institute of Architects (NIA), Enyi Ben-Eboh, has accused government agencies in the built industry for being responsible for collapsed buildings across the country.
Speaking during a retreat organised by the institute to address the frequent collapse of buildings in Nigeria, Ben-Eboh said that it is government agencies that are responsible for checking whether these buildings are being constructed according to specifications and in conformity with the provisions in the national building code.
He absolved the architects of the frequent collapsed of buildings, saying that it is very worrisome when some of these buildings under construction collapse. “Government agencies are responsible for checking whether these buildings are being constructed according to specifications and in conformity with the provisions in the national building code which, of course, is in place in Nigeria. “It is worrisome to us and indeed all professional bodies within the built environment that building in these days and age should be collapsing even during construction. It is even understandable if old buildings collapse. Like human beings everybody at some point has to die, but when buildings under construction collapse, it speaks volume about several things,” he said.
Also in his remarks, the first Vice President of NIA, Mobolaji Adeniyi, admitted that although buildings start with architects, some contractors hire quacks to design and construct a building, a situation that causes collapse.
“Buildings start with the architects because we are the ones that design the buildings. Therefore, it is very important for us to ensure that the buildings we design do not collapse.”
