Group wants zero tolerance to building collapse

A group, Building Collapse Prevention Guild, BCPG, has restated its commitment to attain a zero per cent tolerance for building collapse in Lagos state.
The Chairman of Lagos state branch of BCPG, Yinka Ogunseye, made the assertion at a workshop organised by Ikoyi-Obalande BCPG cell in Lagos recently.
Ogunseye, who said that the rate of building collapse had reduced to a great extent, noted that more efforts needed to be made until a zero per cent building collapse was attained.
According to him, it is not until a building collapses, before provision will be made for remedies, preventive measures and solutions.
Also speaking, Secretary of the Nigerian Institute of Architects (NIA), Lagos chapter, Samson Akinyosoye, said that the quality of materials and workmanship needed to be given adequate attention to avert collapse.
Akinyosoye, who spoke on the topic: “Proactive Measures for Building Collapse Prevention”, said that the three components of a building must be functional for a building to be confirmed as structurally stable.
He identified the three components as the structure, fabrics and the system, saying that if a component of a building is not functioning, such a building is bound to deteriorate and collapse.
“Collapse occurs when a building can no longer support its own weight (self and dynamic loads).
“So, it is not until a building physically falls down that it can be classified as been collapsed,” Akinyosoye said.
Akinyosoye urged BCPG to persist on its advocacy for the use of quality building materials, saying that investigations had revealed that sub-standard building materials were a major cause of building collapse.
Also, a former Chairman of the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors, NIQS, Mrs Adenike Ayanda, said that the Guild could organise training programmes for building artisans.
Ayanda said the artisans needed to be carried along by upgrading their competencies because they executed greater part of the building construction works.
“It is unfortunate that Nigerian building artisans cannot compete with the artisans from neighbouring countries like Cote dÍvoire or Republic of Benin.
“Since BCPG advocates sanity in the built environment by promoting acceptable building standards through public awareness, it can integrate the artisans into the system to train and upgrade their skills,” she said.

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