Director-general of the Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute (NBRRI), Prof. Samson Duna, has said a preliminary investigation into the Saint Academy Secondary School building collapse, where 22 students died in Jos, Plateau State, revealed that the physical observation of the building looked distressed. At the same time, weak materials were used for the building.
According to him, substandard materials were used in the construction of the school. He enjoined the state government and other professional bodies in the construction industry to insist on carrying out integrity tests on all distressed buildings, especially those around the collapsed building site.
Speaking with journalists in Jos, Plateau State, yesterday, Prof Duna stated that the investigative committee on the collapsed building, headed by Prof. O. Job of the Building Department at the University of Jos, showed that the quantity of concrete in the two-story building was in doubt because there was no boundary between the concrete and the steel reinforcement.
According to him, the slab reinforcement anchorage provided was grossly inadequate.
He added that the institute has so far intervened in more than 60 cases of building collapses in Nigeria. He said with Nigeria experiencing an average of 20 building collapses annually, especially during the rainy season, there is a need to fight the menace of building collapse.
“Public awareness should be reinforced by educating the public on the importance of building safety and the risk of illegal construction. This is necessary because many are unaware of what they must do before they embark on building projects.”
He called for collaboration among stakeholders, including government agencies, professionals, and the public, to share knowledge and global best practices and for refresher training among professionals.
The director-general also advocated for a multifaceted framework to prevent future occurrences, adding that all government organs and professional bodies responsible for building construction must enforce strict compliance with building codes, regulations, and standards.
Duna added that the country has continued to experience building collapses because there have been no regular inspections and penalties for non-compliance. From the available records, no one has been sanctioned for negligence or found wanting in relation to building collapses.
“There should be professionalism by ensuring that only qualified professionals like registered architects, engineers, and builders are involved in building projects. When a contractor borrows a certificate from a professional to execute a job, the contractor and the certificate’s owner should be sanctioned,” he added.
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