The Nigerian institute of Building (NIOB), Ebonyi state chapter, has advocated for full activation and adherence to all relevant laws guiding building production to minimize incessant Building collapse in the state.
The state Chairman of NIOB, Bldr. Igboekulie Innocent Emeka disclosed this when he led other Executive and Stakeholders of the body on a courtesy call to the commissioner for Capital City Development, Chief Sunday Inyima in his office in Abakaliki, Monday.
Bldr Igboekulie noted that Building production is a complex process that requires expertise in order to achieve serviceability and safety at reasonable cost and should be allowed to be handled by Builders who are trained to take up such responsibilities.
He added that Ebonyi state government has enacted relevant laws aimed at bringing sanity and safety in built industry and called for its full implementation to guarantee safety of the people.
"The Nigerian Institute of Building Ebonyi State chapter is
grateful to God for having you as the commissioner for capital city
Development. We join our voice to applaud the giant strides of this ministry in
the state towards ensuring quality developments within the city and upholding
orderliness, sanity and serenity of the Abakaliki Capital City. This has also
complimented the effort of the state Governor, a professional leader, His
Excellency, Rt. Hon. Bldr. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru’s commitment towards quality
developmental projects which has maintained Ebonyi State as the fastest growing
state in Nigeria.
"The Hon. Commissioner sir, the Ebonyi State Chapter of NIOB deemed it necessary to have this chat with you to synergize with your office and initiate the move to implementation of the necessary processes that should promote professionalism in our built environment and forestall poor management and construction of buildings on sites in Ebonyi State and avoid building collapses.
"It is worthy to note that Nigerian Government took some proactive measures by enacting into law the Builders’ Act through Decree 45 of 1989, now CAP 13 LFN 2004 to ensure that trained and licensed builders solely manage production of buildings on sites in order to ascertain quality output/products. This is also to ensure that adequate trainings are provided for the would – be professional builders through intensive training in Building Technology involving knowledge acquisition in various aspects of building, spanning from foundation to roofing and finishes. By the above law builders are responsible for the management of building construction in all of its aspects and ramification.
"Again, in extension the government introduced National Building Code which judiciously assigned roles to various professionals in the built environment, this is in her beed to ensure professionalism, promote quality of buildings being constructed and protect building occupants.
"Building production is a complex process that requires expertise in order to achieve serviceability and safety at reasonable cost therefore should be allowed to be handled by Builders who are trained to take up such responsibilities.
"In solidarity to the Federal Government effort at the national level towards ensuring that buildings are handled by professionals, our dear Governor, A Professional per Excellence, Bldr. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru signed into law early this year the following laws;
(i) Ebonyi State Physical Planning Permit Regulations Law, 2024 (Law N0. 001 of 2024).
(ii) Ebonyi State Urban and Regional Planning and Development Law, 2024 (Law N0. 002 of 2024).
(iii) Ebonyi State Building Control Regulation Law, 2024 (Law N0. 003 of 2024).
"These laws have explicitly explained the roles and commitment required of each professional out of the seven professions of the built environment in building production process in Ebonyi State.
"Permit me at this juncture to highlight but a few of the areas of concerns and commitment of builders in these laws;
(A) Ebonyi State Physical Planning Permit Regulations Laws, 2024.
(i) SECTION 5, recognized a builder registered with Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria (CORBON) as one of the appropriate relevant professionals registered to practice in Nigeria.
(ii) SECTION 8: (Submission of Application). Serial N0. 7 Specified Building Production Management Documents otherwise known as Builders Document signed, sealed and stamped by a registered builder consisting of five (5) copies each of :-
(a) Construction methodology
(b) Construction programme of work
(c) Project Quality management plan
(d) Project Health and Safety plan
(e) A letter of an undertaking signed, sealed and stamped by a registered Builder as a consultant to supervise on visit or resident the proposed development during construction to be sure that the registered builder who is engaged by the client to execute the day – to day construction is implementing the inputs on the approved builder’s documents.
(iii) SECTION 52, Schedule 1, PART II (A) specified the information of the consultant builder as a requirement for development permit application. PART VII, (Check list of submitted documents for processing of development permit) specified 5 sets of Construction Work Programme/project quality Management plan/Project Health and Safety plan/Letter of Undertaking to manage or executive the production/construction of the work duly signed, stamped, sealed and dated by a Registered Builder.
(B) Ebonyi State Building Control Regulation Law, 2024.
(ii) SECTION 51, schedules 1 to 13 specified builders involvement from the Commencement of the Building project to the completion. Where the builder must give his professional attestations to every aspect of the Building completed. AAmongother sections having builders’ requirements.
"May we specifically state that construction of Buildings to standard in Ebonyi state and Nigeria at large is our demand from the government. Frequent building collapse in our nation due to majorly quackery is an abnormality that should not be allowed to continue in a sane society where the rule of law prevail".
The group however, demanded "that Builders Documents (as stipulated in the physical planning permit regulations law, 2024, Section 8 (7), page 18) be included into the requirements for the Building project/development permit application approval in your ministry.
"That the ministry through their field monitoring staff ensures that every building site have an undertaken written and signed by a registered builder who is managing such site. In extension every Building site that has one upper floor and above (one storey and above) should have a resident builder and a consultant builder. (Physical planning permit regulations law, 2024, Section 52, schedule 1, PART II (A), page 72).
"That you recommend for the deployment of more builders into your ministry (Capital city development) to ensure proper monitoring of management of building sites going on in the state.
"That you sponsor Builders in your ministry in relevant workshops being organized by our institute both in the state and at national level as your contribution towards their Continuous Professional Development (CPD). (Our Chapter is Organizing a mandatory workshop that will hold on 6th & 7th of December 2024).
"These among others we request that you consider for implementation to ensure safe and quality building construction within the state and to avoid building collapses that has been so rampant in the recent times in the state.
"Hon. Commissioner sir, we specially commend the numerous achievements you have so far recorded within this your short stay in office towards ensuring quality, orderliness and sanity in the state capital city. We say may God almighty strengthen you with more grace and wisdom to do more in complimenting the efforts of our dear Governor towards sustaining Ebonyi State as the Fastest growing state in Nigeria", he concluded.
In his response, the commissioner for Capital Development, Chief Sunday Inyima commended them for the visit and assured them of the readiness of the state Government in partnering all relevant bodies in ensuring that real professionals handle building production in the state.
The Commissioner noted further that the ministry is already partnering with other professional bodies like the Architects, Civil Engineers and assured that the ministry will work with them to tackle the issue of building collapse in the state.
"We feel very happy to have you in our midst, because, one of the core mandate of the ministry of capital City is ensuring that the built industry conforms and complies with building regulations and norms, so as to avoid and avert any irregularities and unfortunate incidents that might be the resultant effect. Like I said, we've been working with you people without formal communication or courtesy call of this nature. Some of you have been part of the ministry helping us, each time we have difficulty.
"All you have demanded are germane and we're going to work on it to ensure that the safety of our people are guaranteed".
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