The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun, Alli Okunmade II, gave the advice in his Alarere residence when the newly inaugurated executive committee of the Oyo State chapter of the Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE) paid him a courtesy visit.
In a statement, Balogun expressed concern on the reports of collapsed buildings, which was becoming rampant in the state and couldn’t have been if experts’ advice and inputs were involved.
Olubadan said the awareness and sensitisation of the members of the public would open the understanding of the people on the importance of professional inputs in building construction.
He said: “some of the people are ignorant, while others who are not ignorant want to cut costs. It is incumbent upon you to raise awareness of why you are crucial to construction activities.
“By the awareness and sensitisation, you would raise the consciousness of those that are ignorant, while those who know but want to cut costs would know that no amount of money can equate a life that is lost in a collapsed building,” Balogun added.
Earlier, NSE state’s chapter Chairman, Adewale Ikotun, noted with concern the incidence of collapsed buildings and disclosed its readiness to partner with government to wage war against the menace, promising to take the organisation to a higher level during the two-year term.
On his entourage was the Vice-Chairman, Secretary-General and Treasurer, Ifeoluwa Adedeji, Olaide Adegbayo and Florence Iorfa respectively. Others were Adeyinka Idris, Olusegun Adeyemi, Ijadunola Olusina, Akinsowon Okewole and Sadiq Rasheed.
