NIOB, SON Reach Strategic Professional Partnership

By Celestine Okeh, Abakaliki

In an effort to enthrone proffesionalism, eliminate quackry and ensure that standard and quality materials are used in building production in the state, the Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB) Ebonyi State chapter has entered into strategic Professional Partnership with the standard Organization of Nigeria (SON) in the State.


In a courtesy visit to the Ebonyi state SON Coordinator, Engr. Maryrose Ugwuech, Tuesday, in Abakaliki, the state capital. The state Chairman of NIOB, Bldr Igboekulie Innocent, lamented the alarming spate of building collapse in recent times in Ebonyi, which could be attributed to the use of substandard materials and none engagement of right Professional in the building production, hence the need for the Partnership with SON in the area of quality assurance and  material certification.

Bldr Igboekulie acknowledged with great pleasure, the remarkable progress SON has made in ensuring that quality and standard product are made available in the market and urged for its sustenance to guarantee safety of our people.


"We acknowledged the remarkable progress SON has made in ensuring that standard and quality products are made available in our markets, a development that has contributed to safety and durability of our infrastructure. By working to eliminate substandard products, you have significantly contributed to the integrity of the building industry and safeguarded the interest of all who depend on standard building materials. These efforts deeply support our mission at NIOB and we extend our heartfelt gratitude to your hard work and dedication. 

"We honorably state that Standard organization of Nigeria, Nigerian institute of Building and our regulatory body, Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria (CORBON) share a common tie by their singular statutory role of ensuring quality products are available for the populace. While SON regulates and enforces production/manufacturing of standard and quality products, Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria (CORBON), enforces and regulates the practice of Builders who are saddled with the sole responsibility of producing quality buildings. It is with this obvious tie that we considered it necessary to establish and maintain a professional partnership and synergy that will promote the common interest of your organization and our institute.


"It is becoming so alarming and grossly unacceptable the spate of building collapse in Nigeria and most recently in Ebonyi State. This in most cases has been attributed to quackery (engagement of wrong or nonprofessional) and substandard materials which are rampantly available in most of our building material markets all over the country today". 

Igboekulie cited the engagement of right Professional in building production and enforcement and regulation of standard of building materials in the market as some of the possible solution to the problem of building collapse in the country.

"Engage the right professionals for the building production/construction process as stipulated in the various Acts/Laws establishing each profession in the building industry. This is where builders are left with the responsibility of managing building production and secondly, 
Enforce and regulate the standard and quality of materials made available in the various building materials markets all over the country where the standard organisation of Nigeria has it as her responsibility.
These two options as highlighted above will mitigate the problem of building collapse in Nigeria and has recognized Builders and SON as being critical to this solution hence the need for this partnership which we have come to establish today with Ebonyi state SON.
We state the missions of our chapter institute towards tackling this menace as follows; 
(1) The Nigerian Institute of Building Ebonyi State chapter has critically looked at this situation and decided to embark on intensive sensitization and awareness among the Government agencies, ministries, organisations and the populace on the need to engage builders for building production as already established in the Act and Building code. This we have already started within the state through the ministry of Capital City Development Abakaliki and other relevant ministries. We are also embarking on serious sensitization of the citizens through the media (online news, radios and televisions) on the need to engage the right professionals.
 (2) The Nigerian Institute of Building Ebonyi state Chapter will embark on serious awareness and sensitization among the building materials dealers and marketers in all the various building materials/products markets in Ebonyi state.
Where the need to maintain standard and good quality materials/products in our markets and emphasis on the dangers of selling substandard and low-quality materials/products will be the emphasis. This is where we will require the synergy and partnership of your organization to execute.
It is in the light of the above submissions and in the spirit of shared purpose we express our eagerness to forge a strategic partnership with your organization. A collaborative effort between our institute and your organization which will further promote quality control, ensure availability of standard materials and support the ongoing awareness on best practices in the building industry. These collaborations can be in form of supplying information, forming a combined team for specific purposes, testing of materials etc. this would not only enhance the effectiveness of our individual roles but would also elevate the standard of the built environment in Ebonyi state and Nigeria at large". 

On her part, the state Coordinator of standard Organization of Nigeria, Eng. Maryrose, Ugwueche, expressed joy over the visit and assured them of their partnership in the Area of concrete testing, checking the strength of block among other areas.

"I welcome you to our office. I want to assure you that we are ready to partner with you to ensure that standard is achieved.

"In checking the strength of concrete, you can get the concrete in the Construction site, mould it into cubes and bring to us, we will crush and test it to ascertain the strength of the concrete.

"We have block testing machine which we use in checking the strength of the blocks used in construction to ensure that it is regulated by SON.
"In the area of aluminum roofing sheet, we have some of the aluminum companies that SON in Ebonyi State have certified like Eastchase, Mighty, Agu and Ezebuike Aluminum. We  have standard that are available. We have standard for timber, aluminum and so on. We equally want you help us, if you see where people are producing substandard product, please alart us. If somebody suppliy you substandard materials alert us. I also want you to insist on SON certified products each time you're purchasing materials for building. Every product certified by SON has our logo of certification", she stated.


The Chairman was accompanied to the visit by the Executive, past Executive and Stakeholders of NIOB in the state.

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