NIQS urges government to establish construction industry board

The Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS) has attributed increased cases of building collapse to defective construction laws in the country.NIQS President, Obafemi Onashile, who spoke at the just concluded Southeast zonal two-day workshop, with the theme: “Construction Industry Health and Safety Management”, held at Newton Hotels, Owerri, Imo State capital, noted that Factories Act of 1974 cannot solve the modern needs in the industry.

As an antidote to end such incessant cases, he appealed to the National Assembly to expedite action and pass the bill on “Construction Industry Health and Safety” sent to the lawmakers, by the surveyors.In the event attended by the executives and professionals in the sector from the geo political zone ( Imo, Abia, Enugu, Anambra and Ebonyi States), Onashile, urged President Muhammadu Buhari to establish Construction Industry Board (CIB), which will comprise of experienced professionals in the building industry.

His words: “We have told President Buhari that we need to have Construction Industry Board. It will form part of the approach towards solving this problem. We have MoU with relevant ministries and departments. That is the last threshold of it.” Speaking on the causes of collapse buildings, the president said: “NIQS is calling for updating of the Health and Safety laws. We have put this up as a bill to the National Assembly through the President as an Executive bill. If passed into law, the roles of contractors are spelt out, and collapse of buildings will be a thing of the past.”

He cautioned that professionals in different aspects of the building and construction industry must be engaged by the employers and developers during construction activities. Onashile therefore, urged participants to make good use of the opportunity provided by the workshop to enhance their capacities and pro- activeness in the industry.He blamed some property developers for not doing enough to halt the trend, insisting that the safety of workers must also be ensured by providing necessary facilities at any construction site in the country.

“The building developers are not carrying out proper roles that they are supposed to carry out in ensuring that competent professionals are engaged.” he insisted.He also harped on the need for the mesage to cascade to the states of the federation