The Federal Government has vowed to take legal action against developers found culpable in building collapses across the country.
According to the PUNCH, the commitment was made by the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, during a review meeting with regulatory bodies in the built environment on Friday.
Nigeria has experienced a series of devastating building collapses in recent years, resulting in significant loss of lives and property. Since 2010, over 100 buildings have reportedly collapsed nationwide, with the most recent incidents occurring in Plateau State and Abuja last month.
Minister Dangiwa urged the ministry’s committee on building collapses to create a detailed checklist for professionals involved in the construction process.
This checklist is intended to streamline investigations and accurately identify those responsible for such tragedies.
“You must develop a checklist of things to observe during inspections or assessments of building collapses, and there must be a column to apportion blame to those who are culpable,” Dangiwa stated.
He stressed that the checklist must ensure quality assurance in areas such as design, concrete quality, soil tests, and supervision. This will enable investigators to promptly identify the causes of collapses and hold the responsible parties accountable.
“Once a building collapse occurs, we should immediately deploy our checklist, identify the issues, and record them. With this, we can independently analyze the situation, identify the culprits, and support our findings with concrete evidence,” he added.
During the meeting, the committee on building collapse presented 12 key recommendations, including the reconstitution of the National Building Code Advisory Committee, a review of the Acts establishing regulatory bodies, and the implementation of punitive measures for professional negligence.
Dr. Samson Opaluwah, Chairman of the Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria, praised the Minister’s initiative, noting that it represents a significant shift in the government’s approach to addressing building collapses.
“Previously, incidents of building collapse were often overlooked, but this initiative demonstrates that the Federal Government and the ministry are serious about ensuring the safety and security of lives and properties,” Opaluwah said.
