FG raises tribunal to address lapses in built industry 

To entrench safety and sustainability in the built environment, the Federal Government has inaugurated a Builders Disciplinary Tribunal, warning it against compromise and favour in the discharge of its functions.

Inaugurating the body in Abuja, Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, urged the members to collaborate with professional bodies, regulatory agencies, and stakeholders across the industry to ensure that “our built environment meets global standards.”

He expressed delight that the move marks a very important step towards strengthening accountability within the building profession in Nigeria, adding that it would establish structures, systems, and procedures that enforce adherence to professional standards and ethics.

The minister stated that the body would ensure that those who fail to comply with standards are held accountable, and sanctioned to promote ethical conduct, stressing that with a profession like building, which directly affects the safety and well-being of citizens, adherence to regulations and standards was non-negotiable.

Dangiwa, therefore, emphasised that “in any profession, the temptation to cut corners exists, and builders hold the responsibility to construct safe, reliable structures that protect lives. Any compromise here is a compromise on safety, and the consequences, as we have seen, can be catastrophic. ”

He went on: “We are all painfully aware of the recent wave of building collapses across the country. Only last week, a tragic incident in Lugbe claimed five lives, leaving families devastated, and exposing gaps in enforcement and professional diligence. This is not an isolated case, but part of a recurring pattern that demands our attention and decisive action.”

The minister said the tribunal was to address precisely the above issues in deference to Sections 16 (1) and (2) of the Builders Registration Act, Cap B13, LFN 2004.

Chairman of the tribunal, Sampson Opulawah, who responded on behalf of the Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria, explained that they have powers over those who are in its register, noting that “there is still a huge number of quacks and those who practise without a licence.”

Other members of the new body are Taliat O. Yusuf, Kingsley Ughoro,  Chinasa Nwekete, Dr Samaila Adamu, Prof Yohanna Izam, and Alhassan Market.