National Building Code is like a toothless bulldog without NASS backing

Mr Alih Ogwu Hassan is a chartered builder and President of Rotary Club, Omole Golden. In this exclusive interview with Associate Editor, Dada Jackson, he bares his mind on the National Building Code and building college, among other topical issues. Excerpts.

 

What is your take on the issue of incessant building collapse across the country?

Thank you very much for this all-important question. The issue of building collapse is one of the most difficult challenges facing construction professionals. It is a worrisome development which needs to be addressed urgently. Over the years, buildings have continued to collapse and now it is time to take the bull by the horns. Professionals in the built environment have been brainstorming on way out of this quagmire. Let me make it abundantly clear here that buildings that are yet to be put in place can equally collapse. You may want to ask me, how. This can happen from the design stage. If there is an error in the design process, you are bound to have a defective structure which may likely collapse.

How do we stem this ugly tide?

The way out of this ugly phenomenon is located in two broad aspects. First, government has a role to play; and second, we as professionals equally have our own role to play. On the government part, the Standards Organisation of Nigeria(SON) should wake up to its responsibility by ensuring that quality building materials are allowed into the country by importers of building materials. They should insist on monitoring the types of materials that are imported into the country. Officials of the agency should censor the materials that come into the market. By so doing, the developers who patronise these markets would be availed with quality materials instead of substandard ones. On the part of the professionals, the right professionals should be engaged in the construction process to avoid building collapse.

It should be pointed out here that another factor that should be urgently addressed is the desire to maximise profits on the part of businessmen also known as developers who engage in construction. This quest for profit sometimes leads to cutting corners by using substandard materials, thereby endangering the lives of the people.

 

What is your take on the National Building Code that is taking eternity to come to pass?

It is something that as construction experts, we have been agitating for over the years. Let me make it abundantly clear that without the backing of the National Assembly, the NBC will just be like a toothless bulldog. The draft code needs to be urgently looked into by members of NASS with a view to giving it a speedy passage if only the country cares about mitigating the effects of building collapse in the country. The NBC is a beautiful document which defines the role of each professional in the built environment.

What do you think is stalling it from seeing the light of day?

A lot of interests are involved but the most important of these is the issue of having businessmen and some powerful politicians going into the construction business. Since the code defines the roles of each professional in the construction process there is the tendency for those who are not core professionals to wanting to stall its passage. My plea is that politics should not be allowed to stall this beautiful document which is like a Bible to professionals in the built environment.

Do you subscribe to the view that there should a resident builder at construction sites?

Yes, absolutely. This is very germane to the construction process. With a resident builder at any construction site, there is the likelihood or at least a tendency for minimal fear of an impending building collapse because his presence would ensure that the right things are done and the tendency to wanting to cut corners by the developer would be largely minimised, if not totally curtailed. So, I am in total agreement with the school of thought which advocates that a resident builder must always be at construction sites.

Is there any rift amongst the professionals in the built environment as to who leads the process?

Not that I know; there is no need for that because each professional’s role is clearly defined. There is no need for any tussle as to who leads the team.