.Says escalating costs of building materials may trigger more collapse
The Building Collapse Prevention Guild (BCPG), yesterday, charged regulatory agencies at the federal level and in Lagos State to redouble their efforts in tackling building collapse menace.
National President of BCPG, Sulaiman Yusuf, who expressed worry over the escalating prices of cement and other materials, gave the charge during a sensitisation walk, tagged: “Walking towards zero building collapsed” in lkeja.
He said that the rise in the cost of building materials, such as cement, fittings and even wages for artisans and professionals in the built environment, would eventually have a ripple effect that would see further proliferation of substandard goods, as more builders would seek to cut cost by all means – and an increase in the patronage of quack professionals and untrained artisans.
The effects of this emerging menace, he warned, might not be felt immediately, but in three to four years’ time, ‘we may begin to see further collapse of more buildings.’
Yusuf said that the government must train more artisans and professionals in the built environment while each local council must have at least one training school where youths can get trained and become skilled.
He also said that special scholarships should be provided for students offering courses in the built environment.
According to him, regulatory fees should also be reviewed and the government should see the Ministry of Physical Planning and the Office of Urban Development as agencies for regulation and not revenue generation.
Also speaking, Chairman of BCPG, Lagos chapter, Joseph Akande, urged the government and other stakeholders to work together towards eradicating building collapse in Lagos and Nigeria.
