The National Institute of Architects has demanded that the National Building Code be put into effect in order to prevent catastrophes involving buildings throughout the country.
The Punch reported that following the recent lift tragedy at the General Hospital, Odan, Lagos State, which resulted in the death of Dr. Diasco Vwaere, the president of the Nigerian Institute of Architects, Enyi Ben-Eboh, issued this call.
Ben-Eboh noted that many building-related tragedies, including building collapses during construction, fire outbreaks, post-construction building collapses, failures of vertical transport systems, failures of heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and air handling systems, among others, were caused by a failure of risk ownership.
The Federal Public Assets Maintenance Department was established as a result of the former president of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari GCFR, signing Executive Order 11, which focuses on the maintenance of our national public buildings, on April 5, 2022, after realising the shortcomings of our maintenance culture.
“While such initiatives are admirable, it is crucial that our country moves away from the clumsy approach to policy formation and implementation in favour of a comprehensive approach that is straightforward and collaborative across all levels of Government and society.
“First and foremost, the government needs to finish all revisions to the National Building Code and sign it into law so that it can be fully implemented. Furthermore, the process of domestication of the National Building Code has to be initiated and completed by all state governments as a matter of priority.”
Additionally, he called on state governments to domesticate the spirit and goals of Executive Order 11 by establishing State Public Assets Maintenance Agencies to manage the upkeep of state-owned public facilities across the country.
According to Ben-Eboh, “These agencies must also have the authority to enforce oversight to enforce maintenance of public buildings owned by private entities.”
The NIA president claimed that the institute and related experts working in the built environment are qualified, have the necessary experience, and are prepared to work with the government at all levels to develop and run the agency.
“The implementation of an integrated systems-driven strategy that is collaborative in nature, competence-driven, transparent, and responsible is crucial,” he continued.
He said: “It is inevitable that we will develop and construct bigger structures and use more cutting-edge technology to run them. The maintenance of all of our buildings will be aided by simplified maintenance systems that make use of clearly defined risk-based responsibility matrix plans, with the more complicated ones requiring greater regulatory oversight and recurrent inspections.”
