Building code bill: Inadequate awareness responsible for passage delay

By Dada Jackson
Inadequate awareness by professionals and members of the public on the importance of the National Building Code to the built environment has been ascribed as being responsible for the delay in its passage by members of the National Assembly.
The Chairman of the Nigerian Institute of Architects (NIA), Lagos State Branch, Mr David Majekodunmi, disclosed this in an interview.
According to him, efforts by professionals and the public at large in sensitising members of NASS in seeing the need to expedite action on the passage of the Code, to say the least, had been ‘insufficient’ in galvanising the NASS members to do the needful.
His words: “Professionals and the public who will benefit immensely if the Code is passed into law, have not done enough in terms of lobbying the NASS members in looking at the prospect of passing the Code. It is quite pathetic, that less than 30 per cent or so of the practising professionals knew about the National Building Code when they were in tertiary institutions.
Majekodunmi said that the delay in the passage of the NBC has ‘seriously’ impacted negatively on the construction industry.
He was quick to add that the earlier the Code was passed into law, the better it would be for the growth of the built environment.
He regretted a situation where since the first edition of the code was signed by the then Minister of Housing, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, in 2006, and up until now (15 years after), nothing had been done to upgrade or give it legal backing.
The NIA helmsman expressed worry over this development pointing out that this has brought about an unregulated construction process.